All My Tomorrows
by Castleguard
Summary: I am writing this for my wife, who desperately wants to know what will happen next. It's probably heavy on relationships/light on mystery. It starts the morning after the S4 finale. I'm looking to make it better, so bring on the helpful comments!
1. Chapter 1

The killer heard the sound of sirens in the distance.

They could have been to tell a speeder to pull over. Or a lazy uniform trying to beat a light.

Or they could be coming for him. He couldn't take the chance that they were.

In his line of work, it was better to be dead than caught. If he were caught, the police would ID him as Cole Maddox, which wasn't his real name. He'd taken on so many identities over the years; it was sometimes difficult to remember what his given name was.

The name Cole Maddox was tied to several crimes that had occurred around New York City. The first crime they'd connect him to would be to the shooting of a NYPD detective at a funeral. The charge would be attempted murder. He thought of it as _failed_ murder. Following that, he'd been instructed to wait, which he did easily, until he was called upon again.

After nearly a year of silence, Maddox was given a second batch of instructions just five days ago. They included two deeds and one guideline. Completing what he thought would be the easier of the two deeds was proving far tougher than he had anticipated.

It was to retrieve a police file from some dead cop's house. _Easy enough_, Maddox thought, _may as well outsource and keep my nose clean of this one_.

Except the crime wasn't perfect. While Maddox thought he picked the right man for the job, some former gang banger turned soldier named Orlando Costas, he was thrown for a loop when the widow of the cop showed up at the house. She had shot Costas in the shoulder on his way out the door.

To his credit, he grabbed what he could and got out. Since things had gone so bad, however, Maddox had to move on to clean up duty, killing the hired thief and inadvertently bringing the attention of the person involving the second task.

The file he was looking for wasn't among the stolen items, but it did include one very valuable lead. The wedding album of the dead cop. A picture record of some of the people he would trust the most. If the cop didn't have it, he may have passed it along to one of his cop buddies to keep it safe.

That reasoning had led him here, to this house. Another former cop. Thankfully, no wife for this one. Maddox had been able to take his time in asking his questions.

This was the guy who had the file, but it wasn't here anymore. At least, he didn't think it was here anymore.

Making a murder scene looked like a botched robbery was something Maddox was quite skilled at. He was sure to add defensive wounds to the victim's forearms, he used the cop's own gun for the kill shot, and made sure certain areas of the home had looked disheveled. The safe, underneath the desk, Sock drawer, those kinds of places. The places an ordinary, everyday thief would look in first.

But he had also looked in several other places which he was careful to return to their original state. Large light fixtures, ceiling panels, cereal boxes. First glances would hopefully lead the police to the conclusion that the dead guy had walked in on someone going through his valuables. A fight ensued, and the old cop was shot accidently by his own gun.

But if a good Medical Examiner got a hold of the body, and looked deeper, they'd notice a few broken bones, a missing tooth, and duct tape residue around his wrists. OK, maybe even an average ME could figure that out. But if he burned the house to the ground with the body inside, and the file was somewhere he hadn't checked, he'd be in big trouble. He could always come back at a later date to do a more thorough job. And he didn't have time to move the body to a river, so this was what he was going to go with. Botched robbery.

Frustrated with himself for failing a second time in obtaining the file, Maddox quietly slipped out of the house, noticing the sirens were getting closer. He could even adjust his breathing as to not make puffs of steam every time he exhaled into the cool night air. Using the shadows to his advantage, He navigated the neighborhood, beginning to formulate a plan in his head regarding what to do next.

He still needed the file. But finding it was secondary to the other task. If he could finish that job, the file wouldn't be as important.

It was a job he was glad to take on, because it was one that he'd fail to do one year ago: Kill New York Police Department Detective Kate Beckett.


	2. Chapter 2

He had brought her coffee hundreds of times. But this time was different.

Typically, he had handed her a cup while standing at her desk in the 12th precinct, where she wore a badge and a gun. Here, she only had on his bathrobe. His head was still spinning. He thought he had known everything there is to know about her. But now he knew so much more. Where her tattoo was. What her scar looks like in the moonlight. How she looks in the morning without makeup.

She was a homicide detective. He was a writer. Four years ago, she had brought him in for questioning on a murder that resembled something he had written in a book. His alibi quickly checked out, but he was fascinated by her. He had volunteered his services to consult with the police department to be around her more. There turned out to be two more killings straight out of the pages of his books, and he had been instrumental in cracking the cases.

Their meeting came at a good time for him, as he was looking for new inspiration. He became her tag-along, doing research for the gritty crime novels that he was so famous for.

Their first meeting came at a bad time for her. At first, she didn't like the idea of a civilian riding shotgun as she broke down doors looking for New York City's murderers. Especially one as annoying as him. But as the years went on, she began to enjoy his company, trust his hunches, and wonder what it would be like if she was more than just his muse. Now, she didn't have to wonder.

They had stayed up late that night. Sometimes talking. Other times… not. She had only felt relaxed enough to fall asleep enveloped in his arms. He took longer to fall asleep, replaying the events of the day in his head as he inhaled the scent of her damp hair. He knew their lives wouldn't be the same again, and he was excited about that.

She slept in, her body still recovering from the exhaustion of the last few days. She had nearly been killed, for the second time in a year, by a mysterious former soldier trying to silence her.

Apparently, she had dug too deep into the mystery of the case that gave her the drive to be a detective, the 1999 homicide of her mother. It was a case she swore she'd never open again, before he came into her life. Wanting to help her find closure, he had poked around enough to find new leads.

During their time together, they had chased those new leads. Every time they felt they were getting closer, they just discovered another level of a vast conspiracy.

So many people involved with the case had already been killed. She almost became its latest casualty less than 24 hours previous. But in those emotional moments, the decision to stop pursuing the case became evident to her. Difficult as it was, she had to come to terms with the idea that she wasn't betraying her mother's memory, but instead shifting her focus to the future. A future that now included a much more of him.

He had been too excited to sleep late. He had been wondering how this moment would feel like for four years. With his daughter sleeping over at a friend's, following her high school graduation, and his Mother off in the Hamptons celebrating… _whatever_, he had the entire apartment to himself. And he was determined to make the most of it.

As a single father, he had developed culinary talent. Breakfast was his specialty, and he enjoyed showing off for her, especially when the only acknowledgement he got was an eye roll. Every few weeks he had added some cinnamon to her coffee in the morning, and remembered the smile she flashed after recognizing the taste. Cinnamon pancakes may be a good option. Plus, he hadn't eaten anything since the previous morning.

He had hoped to finish everything and bring it to her, but in his excitement, he dropped a pan on the floor halfway through, waking her up. She came to the kitchen in his bathrobe to watch him and talk with him as he finished.

But now breakfast was over. After a shower, she curled up in a chair near the window, staring out into the vast urban landscape of New York City. Her lean calves were exposed to the morning sun, and she played with the ends of her still damp hair as he walked over. His hair was just as wet, eyes making contact with hers. He handed her a fresh mug of coffee. She smiled at him as their fingers touched when she took the mug. He smiled at her as he sat down across from her. They had said so much over the past four years, there wasn't much left to say. In silence they sat, smiling at each other, engaging in back and forth laughter every few minutes. Nothing could shatter the perfect silence.

Except the sound of a sudden pounding on the door.

He looked at her in confusion. _Who could that be?_ He wondered.

She looked at him in panic. It was less than 24 hours ago she had nearly been killed. _Could this be the mysterious man set to finish the job? _

He spoke first. "Who is it?" he shouted at the door, with a curious inflection, almost asking if that was the right thing to say.

A voice on the other side of the door shouted back. "Castle… open up. It's Javy."

He was relieved, but she was still panicked. She set her mug down on the coffee table and got up. "I can't talk to Esposito just yet." She whispered to him. "I shouldn't… I mean… I… I… You have to get rid of him." With that, she went to go hide.

He composed himself for a moment. "Coming!" he shouted back at the door. As a writer, he was rarely at a loss for words, but this was going to be an interesting conversation.


	3. Chapter 3

Opening the door, Richard Castle looked down into the fiery eyes of Javier Esposito. He had worked with Esposito up until the day before. Two nights ago, Castle had decided to stop shadowing Esposito's superior, who was now somewhere hidden in his apartment. Trying not to tip Javy's suspicions about anything, Castle tried to underplay the moment. "What's up?" he asked casually.

"We got a problem." Before Castle could respond, Esposito pushed the door open and allowed himself into the sun drenched apartment. "I can't find Beckett."

"Um…" Castle started, knowing full well the general location of Kate Beckett. "I…"

Esposito walked swiftly to the middle of Castle's living room before turning to face him. "I got worried that the spook who tried to take her out yesterday may look to finish the job, you know?"

Castle nodded, feigning ignorance, "That's a legitimate concern."

"I've been trying to call her all night, but she's not answering her cell." Esposito continued. Castle eyed a leather jacket draped over the back of his couch, which probably held the phone that they didn't hear all night. "So this morning," he continued, as he began to look around the apartment, "I went by her apartment, but she wasn't there…"

If Castle was going to get rid of Esposito, he'd have to calm is fears first. "Well, you know Beckett…" he began as he thought of how to finish that sentence. "Sometimes she just needs to figure things out. Maybe she went to visit her Dad. Have you tried calling him?"

But Esposito wasn't listening too intently. His detective skills were kicking in as he surveyed the room. Two cups of coffee on a table by the window. Castle's acting strange. Something sticking out from under that chair. _Is that a women's boot?_

As Esposito put these clues together, Castle stopped talking. There was no use trying to fool him. _He's going to figure it out. Just don't say anything_. Esposito did a complete revolution, examining the room, before his eyes finally landed on Beckett's coat, laid on the chair. He looked up at Castle while pointing at the jacket. "I guess I found the right place, huh?"

Castle shrugged his shoulders, as if to say _you caught me_. "I can explain that…"

"Detective Beckett?" Esposito shouted into the air.

"Javy." A voice came from Castle's office. "I'm not a detective anymore." Kate Beckett, still clad in a bathrobe with a crested 'RC' crept slowly out from her hiding place. Esposito turned to face her. "You don't have to call me 'Detective' anymore."

Now it was Esposito's turn to be speechless. He'd watched Castle and Beckett pine for each other from a distance for years. He'd expected this moment to happen at some point, but was still startled that that moment was now.

Beckett was much more aware of her attire with the addition of Esposito. She made sure she wasn't exposing too much neck or leg, but it was a challenge. "Espo, can you stick around for a moment? I have something I need to tell you." Beckett continued. It was difficult looking him in the eye, but she managed. After all, it was she that had gotten Esposito suspended from the force the day before. They had conspired to keep sensitive information from their captain involving leads in the case of a shooting from a year ago. The first attempt on Beckett's life. Following up on the lead led to the second attempt to silence her. But, Esposito knew that Beckett needed to follow the lead, and that Captain Gates would be furious to find out they'd kept her out of the loop and gone alone. It hadn't ended well. Gates had suspended both, but Beckett did her one better and quit.

Castle got the cue. "Yeah… can I get you come coffee, Esposito?"

Javier switched his gaze from Beckett to Castle. Instead of his look of confusion, he familiar scowl returned. He stared down Castle from a few feet away.

Beckett started hurrying around the room, gathering her things. "I'm just going to go and… um…" she appeared to be looking for something.

"Beckett?" Castle said, while still bearing Esposito's intense stare.

Kate looked up at him. Castle mischievously pointed to the doorknob of his bedroom, where her shirt hung off.

"Thanks." She mouthed to him. She swiftly tiptoed past them, careful to avoid eye contact with Esposito. It didn't matter, as Esposito kept his scowl trained on Castle the entire time. Staring him down. Castle didn't have much of a response, aside from a look that was half charm, half guilt.

_Is he mad_? Castle thought. _Why would he be mad? He can't be mad_. Esposito's scowl didn't fade as Beckett disappeared into to the bedroom and closed the door.

But just as soon as the sound of the door faded, Esposito's scowl turned into a huge grin. He walked over to Castle, extending his hand. Confused, Castle took the hand as Esposito wrapped his arm around his friend. "'Bout damn time, bro."


	4. Chapter 4

Beckett's clothes were still slightly damp from the night before. It had rained in New York City, and she had allowed herself to be caught in it, not caring whether or not she got wet. But she didn't want to have her conversation with Esposito while wearing her boyfriend's bath robe.

She crept out of the bedroom, and entered the living room heading toward the kitchen. Castle and Esposito were talking, laughing over mugs of coffee. It was a moment that reminded her of many that had happened in the 12th. The trust she had in both of them was unparalleled. But where she trusted Castle to do anything to keep her safe, even tell her she couldn't do something, she knew Esposito was so loyal that he wouldn't question her actions. Which is why the next conversation was going to be so difficult.

Castle finally noticed his muse-turned-lover had returned. He looked at her and smiled. Esposito pivoted in his chair to look in her direction as well. But it was still hard to look him in the eye.

Beckett walked behind the kitchen counter to stand next to Castle. Her hand found his resting on his hip, and held on. While this should be a private conversation, she needed him close. Plus, there wasn't much private between them after the previous night.

Beckett had stared guilty murderers down in the interrogation room hundreds of times, but staring down Esposito was much more difficult. She finally managed to look at him. His eyes were intense, but trusting at the same time.

"Javier… I… I'm… I'm so sorry." She finally got out, her voice cracking with emotion. "You got suspended by following my lead. You had my back, and I got you in trouble."

Now Esposito was staring down Beckett, not giving any show of emotion.

"You are as loyal a friend as I've ever had. And I abused your loyalty… to go after something I wanted. I was wrong to have dragged you into this… and I just want to let you know that I will do everything in my power to help you get your badge back." She finished.

Castle held his breath as he shifted his eyes from Beckett to Esposito. He'd thought Esposito would accept her apology, but it wasn't a certainty.

Esposito remained silent for a moment, before inhaling deeply and leaning toward Beckett.

"Kate… you didn't force me to help you. That was a decision I made for myself." Beckett was beginning to feel a bit relieved. "No one controls me. And if I had to do it over again, I'd be right behind you."

Castle grinned, mostly because he knew how much this Esposito situation was weighing on Beckett. He felt her hand relax in his. She looked up at him and smiled too, her eyes welling up. While this was an important moment for her, it was equally important to move past it. "More coffee?" he asked the two former cops.


	5. Chapter 5

Not long after that, Esposito and Beckett retreated to the chair and couch, respectively, in Castle's living room. Beckett sat near him on the sofa, chatting with him. Cop stuff. But with the emotional roller coaster she'd been on, it was comforting to know that he was still in her corner.

The writer made sure the two of them had full cups, before going back for his own. He strode up to the sofa, and sat down, leaving very little room between him and Beckett. He smiled at her, which he noticed he couldn't help but do. She smiled back, tapping his leg with her foot, momentarily forgetting they had company. Esposito just looked back at them like he normally did.

Castle began to be self conscience about PDA's in front of a longtime friend. "Um… this isn't going to be… strange. For you? Is it?"

Esposito looked at him matter of factly. "This? Strange? No. Watching the two of you flirt back and forth for four years and not doing anything about it? _That's_ strange."

Now it was Beckett's turn to be self conscience. "I wasn't flirting…"

"I was." Castle blurted.

She laughed, knowing full well that she had just lied.

"Speaking of people who noticed your flirting," Esposito continued, "You should call Lanie." He said to Beckett. "She's worried about you too." Dr. Lanie Parish was one of the department's medical examiners, and Beckett's best friend. "And I'm sure she'd be interested to know… what new cases…" He brought his mug up to his lips as he locked gazes with Castle, "… you've been on top of."

Castle didn't know how to respond to that. On the one hand, it was a funny line. Ordinarily, he'd have a clever quip to return. On the other hand, he didn't want to be boastful about his recent conquest right in front of her.

Beckett rolled her eyes. "You've been hanging around him too long." She said, nodding at Castle.

Esposito sensed he may have crossed a line, so he quickly changed the subject. Turning to Beckett, "I still can't believe you quit." he said, shaking his head. "Even if I get my badge back, I don't know if I want to work there without you."

"Espo, you're a good cop. The city needs guys like you on the job." Beckett pleaded. "What else are you going to do?"

Esposito cocked his head to the side as he looked out the window. "I've got contacts on the private side. They make a good living. Maybe I'll start up a private investigation firm."

He looked across at Beckett who was suppressing a laugh. "I'm sorry… a _PI_?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

"Nothing, it's just…" she looked to Castle for help to finish her sentence, but he wasn't able to help.

She knew this look he had. The writer in him had just kicked into overdrive as his mind was organizing ideas into something. He began to get a big grin on his face as the thoughts in his head were making their way to his mouth like an avalanche. "Javier Esposito… Private Investigator. I like it! A tough as nails former cop, out for hire, to help give justice and closure… to those who need it the most." He seemed to be writing a book out of thin air.

"Oh, so he's going to be your muse now?" Beckett said with a smile.

"No, not a muse. I think you should do it! For real!"

"Do what?" Esposito asked.

"Become a Private Investigator!" Castle continued. "You said it yourself, Kate. The city needs guys like him. Who cares if he's on the city's payroll or someone else's?"

Esposito started to downplay the situation. "Well, Castle, this ain't the 40's, OK? I said I was _thinking_ about…"

Castle was unfazed. "And… if you need a partner, one who maybe has years of experience solving homicides with you for the city of New York and is currently available for something new…" he began, looking toward Kate. To his surprise, she wasn't shutting him down.

"… and of course, you may need some financial backing. Perhaps from a dashing amateur sleuth still doing research for the gritty crime novels which the public demands."  
"Demands?" Beckett said sarcastically.

"You're talking about yourself, right?" Esposito said, how half laughing.

Beckett and Esposito looked at each other, not wanting to commit to Castle's idea, but being interested enough to possibly revisit it soon.

Castle stood up, picturing a scene in his head. "We can get an office with a stained glass door, and our names painted on it. Awkward shadows would grow on the walls in the late afternoon thanks to our horizontal blinds."

"You got a name for our little agency in this fantasy of yours?" Beckett asked.

"We could do one of those mash up celebrity power couple names." Castle said excitedly. He began to think, "Kick? Rate?"

"Caskett". Esposito said without looking up. Both Castle and Beckett looked to him in confusion. He looked up. "That's what everyone at the station called you behind your backs. Caskett."

The writers eyes lit up even more. "Caskett? I like it. Double meaning… it's _awesome_!"

Beckett looked at him. "OK… first of all, that's a debatable definition of awesome."

Castle's smile faded.

She turned to Esposito. "EVERYONE?"

Esposito shrugged as he took another sip.

Castle thought it was funny. "Well that's rather appropriate. Who knows", he continued, "maybe we can even get Ryan to join up."

Kate's smile disappeared as she caught Rick's eye and shot him a _why the hell did you just say his name?_ look. He smiled back at her, not knowing why he was getting that look. But then he realized why.

Detective Kevin Ryan had worked under Beckett as Esposito's partner in the 12th. The two had been like brothers. But when Esposito had been backing up Beckett on the quest to find her would-be assassin, it was Ryan whose conscience led him to inform their Captain, Captain Gates, about their activities. Ryan and Gates had intervened, saving Beckett's life, but the intervention resulted in suspensions for Beckett and Esposito. Instead of accepting her suspension, Beckett just quit. In leaving the 12th, Esposito couldn't even look in the direction Ryan was standing.

At the mention of his former partner's name, all of the anger that had been inside Esposito returned to the forefront of his thoughts.

The now famous 'Esposito scowl' returned, directed at Castle. He slapped his palm on the arm of the chair before point a finger at the writer. "Let me tell you something." He began, leaning forward. "Don't mention his name around me _ever again_."

"OK." Castle responded. He understood Esposito's anger, but at the same time wanted to defend Ryan. If he hadn't gone to Gates, Beckett would probably be dead right now.

Esposito let his finger hang in the air for another beat, just for good measure, when the silence was suddenly interrupted by a faint knocking at the door.

"Whoa. Déjà vu." Castle mumbled to himself. He could see that panic had once again enveloped Kate as she looked into his eyes. "Who is it?" He again shouted at the door.

"Castle… its Ryan. I need to talk to you." A voice came from the other side of the door.

Castle looked at Beckett, not knowing what to do. Beckett returned his glance without offering any solutions. But without missing a beat, Esposito rose from his chair and was striding to the door in a speed just short of a sprint. Castle and Beckett started after him, knowing they couldn't stop Esposito. They just hoped he didn't do too much damage to Ryan before they got there.


	6. Chapter 6

Maddox punched in a number from deep inside his memory onto the keypad of his burner phone. It wasn't a call he was eager to make, considering his lack of progress. His two tasks were still unfulfilled; He still had no file. And Becket was still alive.

He had never had this much difficulty with a job before, but considering some of the other mercenaries previously assigned to this case were dead, he figured he was still ahead of the curve.

As the phone rang, he surveyed the empty room, which he had registered under a completely different name and paid for in cash. It was a routine he was used to.

The other end of the line picked up. "Do you have the package?" a heavily computerized voice answered.

"Negative." Maddox said. He cringed at delivering this bit of news. His time frame wasn't up, but he had expected to have completed this task by now.

"What about her?"

"Plans are being made. She should be in the open in the next few days."

There was a pause from the voice.

Maddox continued. "Regarding the third order." He swallowed hard. This was the first time he'd contacted an employer asking for clarification of an order. Even he was nervous. "Getting to her has become a lot more complicated."

The voice exhaled. "The third order must be followed."

"It would help expedite the process if-"

"The third order _must be followed_. If it is not, it would constitute a violation of our agreement."

Maddox had expected to hear this, but he still wanted clarification. However, a violation of the agreement would mean he himself would get added to a hit list. But the payday was too great to ignore the job.

"I understand. I will contact when the orders have been completed."

He immediately ended the call. Getting to Beckett had gotten much more complicated in the last day. But while very difficult, Maddox was certain in his abilities to complete the job he failed at a year ago.


	7. Chapter 7

Esposito flung the door open to reveal his former partner, Kevin Ryan. Ryan looked like hell. Bloodshot eyes, slumped figure, tie off. He had the look of a man who'd spent the night crying and drinking instead of sleeping. He raised his head, and locked gazes with Esposito.

"Javy… I didn't know… you were here." He slurred out.

Esposito flared his nostrils as he took deep breaths.

Ryan stumbled toward him. "I am so… sorry… Javier. I was just worried about…"

Silently, Esposito raised his fist, ready to punch. Ryan didn't even flinch. He seemed to be welcoming the punishment he was about to get for betraying his friends trust.

Castle took a step forward, but Beckett grabbed his arm. He looked at her with a look of panic and confusion. "Just give it a moment" she whispered to him. No one knew the Esposito/Ryan dynamic better than Beckett. They were both like brothers to her, and she had a hunch that it could resolve itself. Castle looked back toward his door, where Esposito was still ready to punch.

Previous to this moment, Esposito had thought that he'd beat the living crap out of Ryan the first time he saw him. But to see Ryan here, in the flesh, crippled by guilt, made Javier think about the events of the past day. Slowly, he lowered his fist. Ryan seemed surprised.

"When I was in the service, the one thing we needed to do was to trust each other" he began.

Ryan nodded, looking at the floor.

"Beckett and I _trusted you_. With our lives."

"I know." Ryan managed to squeak out.

"And you went _behind our backs_ to Captain Gates."

Ryan put his hand to his eyes to hide the tears that he knew were coming.

Esposito's tone softened. "And because of that, Beckett's not a red spot on the sidewalk. And if I had let her get killed like that, I would have wished he'd done me too."

Ryan looked up at his partner. Javier nodded and hugged him. "It's OK, bro. You saved our lives. Took a lot of guts to do what you did."

Free of the burden of his guilt, Ryan smiled for the first time in a long time. He pulled away from Esposito to compose himself. "Thanks, man." It was then that he noticed Castle standing a short distance behind Esposito. "Hey, Castle."

"Ryan… you look terrible."

Ryan laughed. "Yeah, well, when you've…" now he saw Beckett standing so near to Castle that they could have been holding hands. In fact, they were holding hands.

"Detective Beckett… what are you doing here?" he blurted out.

Esposito put his arm around Ryan and looked him directly in the eye. "Bro." he said, nodding.

Ryan took a moment to process the signal he was getting. "Oh!" he said, his eyebrows raising in surprise. He turned to Castle and Beckett, who were trying to contain smiles as best they could.

He leaned in closer to Javier's ear. "About damn time."

"I know right?" Esposito laughed. "He even asked if it would be 'strange for me'."

Ryan joined him in laughter as Beckett let go of Castle's hand. Walking up to Ryan, she hugged him warmly, whispering a quick "Thank you" into his ear. She held it for a moment, just so he got the message that his conscience should be clean. After all, if Ryan hadn't gone to Gates, Beckett wouldn't have had last night. Or this morning. Or tomorrow.

She pulled away from him to look him in the eyes. "I'm… sorry that I put you in that position." Turning to Esposito, she continued, "Both of you."

Esposito nodded. He'd already gotten his apology, and wasn't too good at the mushy stuff. Still, Beckett grabbed him by the shirt to pull him in, hugging both at the same time, one in each arm.

Castle smiled at them. Just 24 hours ago, he and Beckett didn't think they'd see each other again. Yet they woke up next to each other. Just 12 hours ago, you couldn't convince Esposito that Ryan wasn't a no good snitch. Yet here they were, embracing.

It was either just too much of a Kodak moment not to miss, or Castle felt weird being the only one not in the group hug, so he stepped over to join in the hug. They were still a team, badges or no badges.

"Castle?" Esposito said.

"Yeah?"

"Quit playing with my ear."

Immediately, all four backed away from each other. Castle was only a tad embarrassed. "I… um… thought that was…" he waved his hand in the direction of Kate.

Beckett rolled her eyes as she walked Ryan to the couch to sit down. He was exhausted. "Can I get you some coffee?" She asked him

"Sure" he said as he sat down, and then toppled over onto the rest of the couch. Without the burden of his guilt, Kevin Ryan was asleep in seconds.


	8. Chapter 8

Esposito had agreed to stay with the sleeping Ryan in Castle's apartment. He had called Kevin's wife, Jenny, just to let her know that her husband was safe. Apparently, Captain Gates had given Ryan a few days off to clear his head.

Castle and Beckett went to her apartment so she could get a change of clothes, along with a few other things. Now that she and Castle were together, she didn't want to be away from him for very long. With his mother and daughter away, and her not having a job any more, Beckett figured it would be a wonderful few days of exploring their new relationship uninterrupted.

Even cab rides were different. Beckett put her hand on the seat between them. Castle used his fingers and ran light circles around her knuckles as they both looked out their windows. She giggled, knowing the driver had no idea the amorous intentions in his backseat. Not that he cared.

On the way back to his place, Castle asked the cab to pull over at Central Park. The sun was beating down on New York City, and he wanted to take advantage of it. He threw the cabbie some cash and sprinted around the back of the car to open Beckett's door. He offered his hand, which she took to help lift her out of the cab. It was a simple gesture that still made her heart flutter.

They walked along the paths, taking in the sights and sounds of the park, talking.

"So, Castle…" She began, while snaking her arm around his waist. "When we were in California, you told me that I was a mystery you thought you couldn't solve. Do you think you're any closer?"

He had an inkling of what she was referring to. Smiling, he looked at her and said, "Do you remember back to our first case?"

"I remember I told you to stay in the car… somehow you got out and were chasing the suspect with your shoe."

"Yeah, well, it's not breaking news that sometimes that I don't listen to you."  
She laughed. It was more often than that.

"But when I got home after that case, I didn't sleep. Not a wink."

They turned the corner on the path they were on, gravel crunching under their feet.

"Normally, when that happens, it's because I'm writing. I just am on one of those waves. But I was just thinking about you. "

"Is that when you came up with Nikki Heat?"

"No. I didn't think up her until the sunrise. As strangely poetic as it sounds," He began, feeling a little embarrassed about how he came up with his literary creation, "I watched the sun come up, warming the city. Mother came downstairs and said 'Heat's going to be strong today'." He paused, looking down at her. "But I thought to myself, not as strong as the woman I just met. Then, I did that thing where I start writing in my head…" He said, using his free hand to make little circles around his skull as to indicate gears turning. "… And it kind of fell into place. I called the mayor immediately, and I've been on your case since."

Beckett thought about that moment. It had been a mixture of feelings for her. She'd enjoyed meeting him, but having him tag along added many more wrinkles to an already complicated job.

"But, if you're asking me if I've solved the mystery that is Kate Beckett? No, I don't think I'm that close. I don't know if I ever will. But I'm enjoying the pace I'm at."

"Even after our fight the other day?" Beckett and Castle had a few moments over the years that nearly broke them apart. The most recent came the other day. Castle had laid his cards on the table, confessing his love to her, and begging her to stop exhausting the leads in her mother's murder. He had been warned by a shadowy figure in a parking garage that if she continued pursuing the case, her life would be in danger. If she followed these leads to her death, he didn't want to be around to see it. She had rejected him in that moment, but returned to him the next night, drenched in rain.

Castle forced a smile at the painful memory. "Oh, I was mad… no doubt. But I was so scared that I'd never see you again after that moment, my anger helped bury my fears."

She knew that she'd hurt him deeply the other day, but to hear him voice how he felt made her feel worse. "I'm sorry that I put you through that."

"Don't be. It was partly my fault. I couldn't stop dreaming… even if it broke my heart."

He sensed her mood and quickly returned the query. "So… how about you? Was there a specific moment when you looked at me as more than just your occupational annoyance?"

Now it was her turn to make him uncomfortable. "Our first fight. When you admitted you'd been looking into my mother's case behind my back."

At this, he stopped and turned to face her, still holding her hands. "But... you were so mad. I had to bend over backward just to get you to not hate me and trust me again."

"Oh, I was mad… no doubt." She repeated his words. "But if you didn't care about my feelings, about _me_, you wouldn't have confessed." She swallowed hard, forcing herself to continue. "In anger, I probably told you that I couldn't trust you. But in reality, I came to realize that there wasn't anyone I trusted more."

Castle was rather astonished at her answer. But if it made sense to her, then it made sense to him. He hadn't wanted to revisit their most painful intersections, but understood that those moments were where their relationship grew the most. Those moments were what allowed the current one to occur.

She didn't want him to think too deeply about it, so she grabbed his shirt collar and pulled his head to hers, kissing him. She wasn't sure she'd ever get used to that. If holding his hand was an experience, locking lips with him was another state of mind. Before last night, they had only kissed once, deceiving a bad guy to get close enough to him to knock him out. She hadn't been prepared to enjoy it that time. But she was more than ready when she knocked on his door last night.

He pulled away from the kiss, but remained close enough to caress her nose with his. "Well, everyone says they like to finish the mystery, but solving it is most of the fun. Don't you agree?"

She smiled and kissed him again.


	9. Chapter 9

After a bit of walking, they found a park bench to sit on, and just take in the sights and sounds of the city. It was just like any spring day in New York, but to Castle and Beckett, the city seemed to have a new energy. He put his arm around her, and she leaned against him, content to finally hear what his voice sounded like as it reverberated through his chest. She asked him if he had thought of how this would affect his crime novel heroine, Nikki Heat. Castle had used Beckett as a rough mold for Heat, but now that he couldn't shadow _Detective_ Beckett anymore, his research capabilities had taken a huge hit.

"Don't worry about it. I don't have a plan yet, but I'll get one." He reassured her.

"Maybe _she'll_ become a PI." Beckett suggested.

She wasn't entirely keen on being the basis for a literary character. But being the basis for _his_ literary character was something she secretly loved.

Beckett was about to say something when Castle's pocket started shouting.

"Dad… Dad… Dad…" was the ringtone he used whenever his Daughter, Alexis, was calling. He grabbed the phone and held it in front of him, looking at the picture of Alexis that was now flashing on it. Previous lovers he'd had considered Alexis just another obstacle in conquering one of Manhattan's most eligible bachelors. He knew that the opposite was true with Beckett. She would never get in the way of his being a father. And Alexis _adored_ Kate. Even more than she adored her own mother.

Yet he wasn't sure if he should divert any attention from Beckett. She sensed his hesitation, and reached out her hand to swipe across the phone and answer the call. She then curled back down into his chest.

Startled, Castle put the phone to his ear. "Good morning, sweetie." He began.

"Hey Dad." Alexis responded on the other end. "I have a question."

"And I have an answer for you."

"Well, Molly and I woke up this morning forgetting that our other friend Christina was having a party tonight. We both really want to go, but I don't want to feel like I'm abandoning you. Is it OK if I go?"

Castle was glad that Alexis was leading in the conversation, which she often did. He _wanted_ to tell her who he was with, but thought it would be better to tell her in person. But there was always the risk Alexis would find out on her own.

"Oh, Alexis. You certainly have an abundance of friends. It's hard for me to believe that you were the same little girl who wouldn't let go of my leg the first day of Kindergarten…"

"Wait, Dad. You sound different. Are you OK?"

"Absolutely." Much like his initial contact with Esposito, he could tell where this was going.

"Did something happen?"

Since a gentleman doesn't kiss and tell, especially to his own daughter, Castle kept his answers short and vague.

"You're awfully perceptive, Alexis."

Silence.

"Is she with you right now, Dad?"

"That's an… affirmative."

Alexis got so excited so quickly she nearly dropped the phone.

"Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!" She began before regaining composure. "Well, then, I'll let you go to enjoy the… company. And maybe I will spend an extra night at Molly's, OK?"

"Well, you don't have to…"

"Will do, Dad! I love you!"

Castle smiled. "I love, you too, Alexis."

Ending the call he looked back down at Beckett. Without looking up, she said "She knows, doesn't she?"

"Yeeeepppp." He answered, kissing the top of her head.


	10. Chapter 10

A little while later, a coffee cart came by. They were both feeling the effects of only having a few hours sleep, so Castle left the bench to purchase some. Beckett took the opportunity to finally check her phone. Sure enough, 23 missed calls, half from Esposito, and half from Lanie.

She quickly brought up the text window on her phone to send a message to her friend.

I'm OK. I'm with Castle. He's seen the Butterfly.

That was in reference to her single tattoo, a small butterfly she got in college. Some idiot former boyfriend talked her into it. It was situated near her right hip bone. To have known where and what it is, you'd have to be a best friend. To have seen it, you'd have to her lover.

She quickly put her phone in her pocket as he came back, a to-go cup of coffee in both hands. He handed one to her and sat back down on the bench. She sat up, wrapping her hands around the cup to absorb the warmth of the coffee. It wasn't as good as the coffee at his place, but she hoped it would give her the alertness to enjoy his company.

"So you've got some pressure on you." She started.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, we still haven't had an official 'first date'."

"Oh." He broke eye contact to look forward and think. "I wouldn't have thought you'd be the type of girl to get all mushy about the first…"

He shifted his gaze back to her. She stared back, not blinking, saying _you're wrong about that_ with her eyes.

"You are… that type… of girl... OK." The writer in him began to surface. Smiling, he allowed the thoughts he was dreaming up to get verbalized instantly. "So you're looking for a romantic dinner at one of New York City's finest restaurants, your choice of cuisine, of course. Followed by a time cutting up a dance floor somewhere that you can show off the new dancing dress you just picked out. The evening would be capped by a sharing of the finest Gelato in the city back at my place."

"Come on, Castle… that's the best you can do?" she said. It did sound like a lovely evening, but she wanted to hear some of his other ideas.

He looked back at her and smiled. "Oh, so you're looking for something more grandiose."

She nodded her head.

"A night that will echo through the ages."

Her smile couldn't have been larger.

"A night so grand… it will make a great story to tell the kids abo…" He stopped short. Just a moment ago, they were discussing their first date. Now he advanced the conversation past moving in together, past marriage, all the way to parenthood.

He looked at her, mind racing on a way to change the subject.

"Keep going." She said, the sides of her mouth curved upwards.

Castle flashed her an uneasy smile. As far as uncharted territory goes, this was about as uncharted as you can get.

"It's just talk. Don't worry too much about moving too fast." She assured him. "Not after last night."

He nearly choked on the coffee he was drinking to avoid the subject. She laughed at him, playfully elbowing him in the bicep as he coughed.

Once he had regained full use of his lungs, Castle said, "Excellent use of the double entendre."

"I learned from the best."

Castle was hoping to move on to a different subject, but Beckett remained curious. "So. You're probably the type of person who even has a few names picked out." She didn't expect him to say yes.

He didn't say yes. But he couldn't lie to her, so he didn't say no either.

Beckett was somewhat surprised. "You _do_ have names, don't you?"

Again, the writer was silent, but smiling. He didn't have to say anything to communicate to her.

"OK. Tell me."

He tried to alleviate some of her excitement. "I've had a few names… put aside… for _years_… just in case I ever needed them."

"What are they?"

"Well, if I ever had a son, I'd want him to know just how awesome it is to walk into a room and announce 'I'm Rick Castle!'"

"OK, so Richard Castle _Junior_?" she asked.  
"No… I've never been savvy on the whole use of the name 'Junior'. Just Richard _Myron_ Castle."

Beckett laughed again. "Myron?"

"Yeah, well… one of my writer friends uses that name for one of his main characters. I always liked it."

Beckett stared up at the tree line, pondering what it would be like for a little 5 year old boy to walk into his kindergarten class and announce "I'm Rick Castle!" to all his classmates. "It's not too bad. What about if you give Alexis a little sister?"

Now Beckett had Castle cornered. If he tried to come up with something new on the fly, she'd know. But his answer would definitely reveal how long he thought their relationship could extend.

"For a girl… I thought..." He looked down at the ring which hung on a chain around Beckett's neck. "Joanna." He then lifted his eyes to meet hers. "Johanna Eva."

It took every ounce of strength for Kate Beckett to not burst into tears. Not only had Castle thought of what to name _their_ kids, but he also knew how much it would mean to her if they honored her mother in such a monumental way.

He stared intently at her, knowing how much she was fighting the emotion.

She smiled back at him.

There they sat. Two people, whom, two days ago, weren't certain they'd see each other again. Now discussing baby names.

After a minute, Beckett finally was able to speak again. "I definitely like that one. Very much." She nodded, using her knuckle to dry her eyes.

"I thought you might", he said, putting his hand on her knee.

She brought her own hand on top of his to hold it tight. "Um… Eva? For a middle name? How'd you come up with that?"

Castle looked away. "I… um… lost a poker hand ten years ago. I didn't have enough money to call, so I said I'd name my next daughter after her if I lost. Which I ended up doing."

"Who'd you lose to?" Beckett asked.

"Janet Evanovich." Castle sighed. "That woman's a damn fine poker player. Great with numbers."

Just then, Castle's phone began to buzz. He fished it out of his pocket to see who was trying to contact him now.

"Who is it?" Beckett asked.

"It's a text… from Lanie…"

"Really? What does she say?"

Castle made his frustrated sound and face before showing the text to Beckett.

About damn time!


	11. Chapter 11

One of the unique things about hanging around Castle was that occasionally, a fan will recognize him on the street and ask for an autograph. Beckett understood, and allowed the interruptions so he could interact with his rabid fans. They ran into one walking back to his apartment. A dark haired woman had noticed him from across the street, and came running up to him, twin 8 year old kids in tow.

She was really loud, but generally excited to be meeting Castle. Her husband seemed nice enough, and gave a look that seemed to try and apologize for his wife's behavior. _They've got a strange last name_, thought Beckett. _What was it? Bang? Yang? No… Bing. Well there's a sound I'm not going to get out of my head._ Apparently, the family was in the city visiting her brother and his wife, and their three kids.

_Those people seem really happy_, Beckett thought to herself. She hadn't really thought of marriage or children much before today, but now seeds of ideas had been planted that she wouldn't mind nurturing more.

Once the woman and her family had left, Beckett asked her a question she'd wondered about for a while. "I know you like your fans, but do they ever get to be a burden?"

"No." He answered. "If I didn't want to be recognized in public, I wouldn't have put my picture on the back of the book."

"Well, you do like attention."

"No question. But beyond that, I feel that as a member of the literary community, it's my responsibility to keep and nurture any fans of the genre. Because for every fan that comes up to me, that means there are 20 who are rushing up to those… what are their names again?"

"Kardashians." Beckett responded.

"YES!" Castle said in comic anger. "If I don't succeed in my mission of pushing my genre, people like that will dominate the collective conscience of America… and soon… THE WORLD!" Castle raised his fist to the sky, imagining himself as some type of Green Lantern-esque superhero out to protect the average citizens.

Castle's castle came into view as the turned another corner. Beckett was glad to be near his place. Her legs were getting tired.

He had carried her small suitcase the entire time. His arm was getting tired, but if this was his penance for having Beckett at his place for a few days, it was well worth it.

Cole Maddox was trained not to be noticed. And he was good at his job.

Following his evening searching for the missing file at the cop's house, he went to Beckett's apartment. She wasn't there, so he found a spot across the street. He had waited. And waited. And waited some more.

Around 10 am, he got lucky. Beckett showed up. She looked much different than the last time he saw her. That time, she was hanging off a ledge of the hotel he was staying at. He didn't have the time to finish the job, just escaping before a team of SWAT officers stormed the roof.

Now she was right in front of his eyes.

But there was a problem. He was with her. Maddox hadn't planned on making a move until dark, so he was content to wait. But her companion complicated things.

He waited for them to come out. He carried a suitcase. _Damn_. They must be staying at his place. They rode a cab to Central Park, where they took a walk. Maddox could keep his distance there, but the trees presented a challenge.

Outdoor surveillance was something Maddox didn't get to do very often. There was very little he took enjoyment in, but standing in the sunshine was one of them. He rarely got to enjoy it.

From the park, they walked along the streets. Maddox followed them a half a block back, on the opposite side of the street. Although he could have followed closer. Chewbacca could have passed them going the other way and they wouldn't have noticed. These two were more interested in each other than surveying the world around them.

Eventually, they made it to a high-end apartment building. _Must be his place_, Maddox thought. In a place that expensive, there will be surveillance and top end security. With time, he could make it in, but he figured he could just wait.

They'd have to come out eventually. Ideally, he'd get her alone. But if he had to do it with her companion there, Maddox would have to take the chance.


	12. Chapter 12

They made it back to Castle's apartment just after noon. Beckett walked over to Esposito, who was throwing his jacket back on, while Castle examined Ryan, who held his head in his hands, glass of water nearby.

"You're back!" Esposito said. "We were just about to leave."

Ryan groaned.

"I Figured I should help Ryan get back to his place before heading home."

"I'm sure Jenny appreciates that." Beckett said. "So… got a plan for the next few days?"

"I haven't been back down to visit the family in Miami for a while. May go down there. A buddy of mine, former Special Forces guy, lives down there as a freelancer. Maybe I'll see what he's been up to."

Beckett was relieved he had some idea of what to do next. "Well, stay safe, will you?"

"Promise." He replied.

Castle was looking at Ryan in a manner he mostly looked at the corpses he and Beckett helped give justice to over the years.

"What is it, Castle?" Ryan asked.

"Just making sure you're all right. How much did you drink last night?"

"Hey." Ryan said, his voice slightly louder. "I'm Irish. I can handle it."

Castle didn't want to put his friend through any more crap for the day.

"So… Javy says you discussed starting a _PI_ firm?" Ryan said, finally looking up at Castle.

"Well…" Castle began, still liking the idea, but not as excited about it as he was when he thought it up. "It was an… idea… that came up. It may warrant further discussion. Sometime in the future. Why? Are you interested? You could grow a mustache and we could get you a Tigers hat."

Ryan was hesitant. "I don't know, Castle. I mean, I love working with you guys, solving crimes, and locking up the bad guys. But the PD offers a pension. And I'd really like to draw from it at some point."

Javier came over to Ryan and helped him stand up. "Another discussion… for another day, my friend." Turning to Castle, he added "We'll get out of your hair now."

Ryan stumbled to the door, being hastily led by Esposito. "Yeah. Sorry about interrupting you guys. Good luck with… everything."

"Hey, Ryan." Beckett called out. He turned to face her. "Give me a call when you go back to the precinct, OK?"

"No problem."

With that, the two men waved good bye, opened the door and were gone into the city.

Castle took a few steps toward the door, thinking that perhaps he should lock it, so as not to be interrupted any more. He turned around, catching Beckett's gaze with his eyes. He began to walk slowly, and strangely, toward her.

"What are you doing?" She asked him with a half laugh.

"I'm sauntering up to you." He said. "Don't you recognize a saunter when you see one?"

"Oh, I know what a saunter looks like and that…" she finished, pointing at him, "is not a saunter. You're probably thinking about it too much."

"This is how I always do it." By now he had 'sauntered' to a spot right in front of her.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"And how's that working out for you so far?"

He stopped sauntering and dropped his smile. "Why would you be so mean to me?"

She laughed louder. "I'm sorry, but it looked like you were trying to be the most pretentious model at fashion week." She reached for the back of his head, pulling it down to hers. They kissed for what seemed like hours.

"What do you want to do now?" He asked her when the both came up for air.

"Well…" she began, "Please don't take this as a slight about what happened last night, but…"

"You want to sleep away the afternoon?" he asked her.

She exhaled a sigh of relief. "I'm so tired, Castle. I can barely stand."

This was true. The emotional adrenaline she'd been on for the past day was wearing off, and even with all the caffeine she'd ingested, she was ready for a nap.

He smiled. "I don't take that as a slight. I think it's more of a compliment."

For both of them, the thrill in their new relationship wasn't the physical closeness; after all, they'd been handcuffed together in a room with a tiger, locked in a car trunk, and confined in radiation quarantine before. There was thrill in the sex, which was great. But the biggest excitement came from the emotional closeness they shared. They didn't have to hide their feelings anymore, and it felt wonderful.

They lay down in his bed, him on his back, staring up at the ceiling; she curled into his right side, head again resting on his chest. Her free arm draped across his shoulder, her hand caressing the side of his head.

"Beckett?"

"Mmmm?"

"At the risk of going too fast again… do you want to… move in? With me?"

Beckett yawned. "I thought we could live at my place for awhile."

"Your place? But I have a Cuisinart. I have satin sheets. I have a beautiful view of the greatest city on earth!"

"You also have a roommate." She added not lifting her head or opening her eyes.

"But… come September, Alexis is going off to Columbia. She'd only be back on certain weekends."

"Oh… that's right." She responded.

Castle smiled, sensing a victory.

"What about your other roommate?"

Victory gone. He had forgotten about his mother, Martha, whom he shared his loft with.

"Maybe your place would be better. For a while. I could bring some stuff over in a few days. Or we could just play it by ear. Day by day. How does that sound?"

The only answer he got in return was the soft sound of Beckett breathing.

Castle looked down at the top of her head. The future will come eventually. For now, he'd be content enjoying the present. He stayed awake for another hour before falling asleep himself.


	13. Chapter 13

Castle woke up around 6, alone in his bed. He had been sleeping pretty hard. In the excitement of the day, he'd forgotten to eat lunch, so his hunger played a part in waking him up. Realizing Beckett wasn't there threw him into a short panic. _Did she leave? Was the whole thing a dream?_

Listening intently, he heard a voice in the next room. She was talking on the phone.

Silently, he crept through the door of his bedroom into his office. He was able to peer through the bookshelves that made one wall of the room and saw her. She was in one of the chairs, facing away from him. If she was talking with Lanie, she'd be laughing more. If she was talking to Esposito or Ryan, she'd sound more matter of fact. Instead… she was… Castle leaned over to hear… she was crying.

She was talking to her Dad.

"I know, I know. It's just that… I've let it drive me for so long." She said in between sobs. "And now to just stop listening to that voice inside me is hard. Because in my head, the voice sounds just like _her_."

Castle didn't move a muscle, waiting for her to talk again.

"She would say… Kate… you should do what makes you happy."

Another pause.

"Yes. Yes I am."

Castle smiled. Beckett did have a lot to live for. And he was glad he'd be experiencing all of it alongside her.

Most of the people that Beckett knew fell into three categories. The larger group tried to help her forget her mother's murder. It was an exercise in futility. It had driven her for so long that mere words weren't going to persuade her to stop. There was the smallest group, which encouraged her to pursue it. No matter the cost. One of her former mentors on the force had been like that. It hadn't been healthy for Beckett.

But then there was the third and final group. The ones that understood what the case meant to Beckett. They understood that was what made her the woman she was. They didn't push her, didn't stop her, just stood beside her. It was a close knit group, and the people whom Beckett considered her best friends. Lanie. Espo. Ryan. And Castle.

"OK. I'd better go, too. I love you, Dad."

Hearing her wrap up her conversation sent Castle swiftly back into his bedroom. He snuck over to the bathroom, and flushed the toilet, just to sell the idea that he wasn't eavesdropping at all. Plus, she may need the extra time to compose herself before he came out.

As he went back through the office, he didn't use the same level of stealth. He allowed the door to make as much noise as possible just so he wouldn't' startle her. He saw her looking out the window at the city, which was beginning to wind down for the evening. Or it could be winding up. It was New York City, after all. He was silent as he strode over to her, but she knew he was there.

Standing beside her, he finally whispered, "Hi".

"Hey." She forced a smile, but continued to stare out the window.

"Everything OK?"

She nodded. "Fine, Castle." She still wasn't looking at him.

At this point, he grabbed the end of her chin and forced her head around so he could look her in the eyes. "You know…" he began, "You don't have to be strong in front of me _all_ the time."

At this cue, she burst into tears and buried her face in his chest. He stood there, holding her, while she let everything out. His hands took turns stroking her back and head until she was done. He began to sway slightly, like he did with Alexis when she was an infant and upset.

Castle thought of all the emotions that went back and forth between them over the twists and turns in this case. First, Beckett was furious with Castle for looking into it. But the last time they discussed it, she was furious that he was trying to stop her.

As for right now, she didn't need to be pushed or stopped. She just needed to be held.

It took a while for Beckett to regain her composure.

"Castle?"

"Yeah?"

She sniffled. "Your pants are shaking."

At first, he thought she was being funny, breaking the tension with a clever quip. But then he realized… his phone was buzzing from inside the front pocket of his pants. While one hand stayed at the small of Beckett's back, Castle used his other hand to fish out his phone.

It was a text from Alexis. She was coming back tomorrow, along with Martha, who had an acting class to teach. That gave Castle and Beckett one more night in the apartment alone.

He put the phone back into his pocket and fully embraced her once again. She'd stopped crying, and returned his embrace warmly.

Castle had a sudden burst of inspiration. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving." She retorted without pausing.

"Well…" he started, pulling her away from him and looking into her eyes. At first, he held her by the shoulders, but then began to stroke the tear stains off her cheeks with his thumbs. "… How about you go get ready… And I'll take you out for dinner and drinks?"

She smiled at the simplicity of the plan. "Sounds perfect. What should I wear?"

"Beckett. You know I have the utmost respect for you as a woman, as a cop, and as a fashionista. Wear whatever you would to a… murder scene."

She smiled as she pulled away, walking toward the office. "Are we murdering anyone tonight?"

"We will murder whatever it was working against the universe that had been keeping us apart."

"So you, then? We're murdering _you_?"

"Go on." He laughed. "I'm just going to make a few calls."

"OK." She said from the doorway to his office. She kept looking at him as long as she could, keeping his gaze through the bookcase wall until she was in the bedroom.

Castle stared at the door for just a moment longer. Then he got out his phone and started dialing.


	14. Chapter 14

On previous first dates, there were certain benchmarks, which if met, would impress his date. Taking the Ferrari. Using his name to get into a swank new nightclub. Ending up in the gossip pages.

But Rick Castle knew that, unlike most of his paramours, Kate Beckett wasn't going to be impressed with going to one of New York City's posh, hard to get into restaurants. So that threw out most of his top first date options. Of course, this wasn't any ordinary first date. First dates are for questions like _where did you grow up? What's your favorite color? Are you in one of the two groups of people who sit around thinking of ways to kill people? _

Castle and Beckett were way beyond that.

Plus, they were both very hungry, and the amount of food served at the posh places would have been dwarfed by their appetites. He needed a restaurant that served lots of food, was quiet enough for conversation, and had enough charm so they'd be proud to tell people _that's where we went on our first date!_

After much deliberation, Castle decided on a restaurant called simply The Diner, on 9th avenue. A friend had recommended it. The same friend who named one of his characters 'Myron'. Additionally, it was within walking distance of their second destination of the evening.

Castle called ahead to inquire about reservations. None were needed. He was worried about making Beckett and him wait if there was a line, so he casually asked if they hang photos of celebrities on the wall, ones who had visited the restaurant. He said he could bring one, being a bestselling author and minor celebrity himself. They promised that they would have a table available. It was helpful that the hostess was a Nikki Heat fan.

Following that call, he sent out dozens of texts to plan something for later that night. He was typing so intently that he hadn't noticed Beckett standing outside his office.

"Are you going to play with your phone all night, or are you going to look at me?" She said with a smirk.

He looked up quickly to see where she was before putting his head back down to his phone. Stopping everything, he slowly looked back up to take her all in. She'd gotten dressed up before to go undercover and solve cases, but that was work. She was dressed up now… for pleasure.

Her lower legs were works of art. Not pale, but not over burdened by the sun either. They were muscular, from years of kicking down doors and chasing down suspects. The black stiletto heels helped in accentuating her calves. The black dress that hugged her thighs and waist left little to the imagination. Its sheer surface gave her body a warm glow. The upper half of the dress was also very flattering on her. Her arms, just as perfect has her legs, were available for the world to see. Her v shaped neckline wasn't too deep. She didn't want her scar to become a conversation piece. She made sure it was covered. That was only for her. And him. The dress did a good job of pushing things up, adding curves just below her exposed collarbones. She wore her hair up, which she didn't do very often, as to highlight the diamond earrings he'd never seen before. _Maybe she was saving them?_ He wondered. Not that she needed them. He thought those earrings would lose the attention diamonds usually received, being somewhat close to her eyes.

As usual, Beckett had on a simple silver chain around her neck, holding her mother's wedding ring about four or five inches above where her bullet scar was. Just because she wasn't exhausting the leads in her mother's case, didn't mean she was forgetting her mother's memory.

One item didn't quite match the ensemble. It was a bulky wristwatch with a large leather strap on her left wrist. It had belonged to her Dad.

Not only was Castle at a loss for words, he was at a loss for air. He stopped breathing as his heart began to race.

She gave him a playful smile, cocking her head to the side and putting a hand on her hip while jutting it out. "Is this too much?" She asked.

Castle couldn't answer immediately, since his mouth was now completely dry. He had to swallow to get his vocal cords to work again. "No… um… Apples…."

She looked down at herself, impressed she had the ability to silence him. It was then she noticed that she still had the wristwatch on. "Oh, forgot to take this off. I think…"

"Don't." Castle said. Walking over to her, he put his hands on hers and pushed them down. "Leave it on."

She looked at him. "OK."

He smiled warmly. "You wouldn't be Beckett without it."

She snuck both arms around his neck. With the extra height provided by her heels, she didn't have to pull herself up a whole lot. _Perfect time for another kiss_, she thought as she closed her eyes.

After a few seconds, she pulled away, eyes still closed. "You'd better go get ready yourself."

"Yeah. Well, I don't think that should take very long." He answered, eyes closed. "I'll just go and find something… to throw on."

She smirked as she opened her eyes. "And if I were you, I'd shave."

His eyelids rose. He smiled, too.

Then he ran off to shave.


	15. Chapter 15

Castle had never been this stressed in deciding what to wear. He liked to look good, but didn't have much above the Armani suits he usually wore in front of her. Picking a shirt was especially challenging. He wanted to wear a nice one, but not one that was so nice he'd cringe if it lost all its buttons simultaneously. Maybe he'd write a romance novel next. _In a Hail of Buttons. _

Usually, he wore dark colored shirts. For some reason, he went with a pressed white shirt with faint pinstripes. He usually left the top few buttons undone. Looking in the mirror, he tried to go one lower. He had the perfect balance of chest hair to not make it look strange, but he decided against it.

Dinner at The Diner ended up being perfect. Beckett was hungry, but she didn't want to eat so much that people could tell she'd eating a big dinner just by looking at her from the side. But when her Chicken Paillard arrived, she came just short of attacking it with her fork. It seemed she couldn't eat it fast enough.

Momentarily, she flashed back to the times when she'd eaten in front of Richard Castle, her partner. After several bites, she looked up at him. His head rested on his clasped hands, his Fish and Chips untouched. He was grinning, content at watching her eat.

This wasn't Castle her partner anymore. He was so much more.

So if she was going to dress like a lady, and be treated like a lady, she would have to eat like one too. She swallowed the bite in her mouth, straightened her back, repositioned the fork in her hand, and prepared a smaller bite.

Rarely do men consider things _cute_, but for Richard Castle, that was a cute moment.

The air meandering through the streets New York City had grown colder. The one thing that Beckett had forgotten to bring was her jacket. But if you asked her, she'd tell you she forgot it on purpose. This allowed Castle to take part in the years old boyfriend tradition of offering his suit jacket, which she took. Wrapping herself up in it, she took a quick sniff of the inside, just to see if her heart beat a little faster just at his scent. It did.

They walked at a slow pace, his arm around her shoulder, hers around his waist.

Beckett suddenly thought of something. "It's not strange that we still use our last names when we talk to each other, is it?"

Castle shrugged. "I don't think so."

"I don't think so either." She said, looking up at him.

"If I called you Kate all the time, how would you know when we were having a _serious_ conversation?"

She laughed. "Or what if I needed to find you in a dark movie theater? I may end up sitting next to some other Rick who's not as ruggedly handsome."

"Well that's a good bet. You'd be hard pressed to find another Richard with a higher degree of handsomeness."

"Riiiight."

"If I had access to a time machine, I'd go to the past and thank your ancestors for not having a very butch last name. Like Butch. Or Strongman. Or… Nathan. " They stopped at the corner, waiting for the pedestrian light to illuminate 'Walk', allowing them to cross. "Come to think of it, I once dated this woman…" He laughed to himself, "Her last name was… get this… Snowball."

The light finally flashed walk, and he began to lead her into the crosswalk.

She didn't mind hearing about his old flames. It just reminded her that while she wasn't the first woman in Castle's life, she was the one in his life _now_. Who knows. Maybe she'll be the last one.

"Can't imagine why you and Ms. Snowball didn't make it."

"Well, she was the type of person who could only be passionate around her pet _snake_. So our main problem was that she was inattentive to my needs, and I _hate_ snakes."

Beckett laughed. "I just don't know if I could get out of the habit of calling you 'Castle'."

"It does have a certain romantic ring to it, doesn't it?"  
"Yeah. Plus, when I say it really fast, it sounds like I'm calling you ass…"  
It was at this point that Castle turned to face her, putting his finger up to her lips to prevent her from finishing. "We're here." He said

They had stopped at a street corner, near an awning covering a staircase leading to the basement of a building. Beckett looked up and read the name crested on its front. "The Old Haunt? Out of all the bars… on all the corners… in the whole city. You bring me here."

Castle and Beckett had first come to The Old Haunt to investigate a murder. He was familiar with the bar, having spent many nights writing there during his younger days as a novelist. Their investigation led them to discover, not only the identity of the killer, but also the motive. A secret basement contained a secret door leading to secret room which contained dozens of bottles of 125 year old scotch hidden there by a former mayor. Working the case brought back so much nostalgia for Castle that he bought the place.

"I did… for several reasons." He started, grabbing her hand to lead her down the steps. "First, I drink free here. Second, the bartender here makes the best Manhattans in Manhattan…"

She was tickled that he had brought her there. She just enjoyed hearing him explain any reasoning he had been doing. "But, it's a cop bar. I'm not a cop anymore."

"Maybe not according to your W-2, but even if you never go back, there will be a part of you that will be a cop." He said, touching his forehead to hers just to get his point across.

"Was there a third reason?"

"Indeed there was. I asked myself… What makes Kate Beckett truly happy?"

She smiled at the question, not really knowing the answer herself. "Chocolate? Coffee? Finding the bad guys? Are there bad guys inside?"

"Close. I realized it wasn't so much a _what_ as a _who_…"

He opened the door and pushed her through.

A wall of animated banter hit Beckett square in the face as she stepped in. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw a sea of familiar faces. Lanie, Esposito, Ryan, Jenny, and a host of other detectives and uniforms from the 12th were crowded around the bar. She brought her hands to her mouth to muffle the excited laugh as Castle stepped in behind her. Everyone was raising a glass in their direction, under a hastily made "Caskett!" sign that hung from the ceiling.

At first, Beckett blushed. She'd never had this much attention paid to her, aside from what Castle provided. It was a new feeling that she wasn't quite comfortable with, but she figured she'd give the people what they want.

Spinning around, she grabbed Castle's lapels and launched her face into his. The whooping was instantly louder, particularly one voice. "That's my girl!" Lanie shouted into the air.

When she was done kissing Castle, Beckett whipped her head back toward their friends for approval. Everyone was smiling. Except Castle. He appeared to be catching his breath.

With a drink in hand, Dr. Lanie Parish, one of the NYPD's best Medical Examiners, came over to Beckett. Castle guessed that the drink wasn't her first. He could barely understand her, she was talking so fast. Eventually, she put her arm around Beckett and led her to the bar to get her a drink.

Esposito and Ryan exchanged waves with her, having just seen her earlier that day. Ryan's wife Jenny fell into line behind Lanie to order more alcohol. While she didn't know Castle and Beckett all that well, she seemed very excited. Castle guessed that Jenny had heard plenty of stories from Ryan.

As the women gathered around Beckett to admire her dress and earrings, the men retreated to where Castle was standing.

"Thanks for inviting us, Castle", Esposito said.

"Not a problem… I'm glad you guys could make it."  
"But there's something we have to say to you." Ryan added.

"What's that?"

Esposito continued. "We're all very happy that you and Beckett finally… you know…"  
Castle mischievous grin extended from ear to ear.

Esposito scowled.

Castle's grin vanished.

"… But here's the thing. We talked a lot about loyalty and trust back at your place this morning."

"Yes." Castle was listening intently now.

"We just want to let you know…" he turned, nodding to Beckett. "… that if you do anything. To betray that woman's loyalty… or trust…"

"We'll break your face." Ryan finished.

Castle couldn't contain his laughter. It was so intense; he had to put his hands on his knees to regain his composure. He hadn't laughed like that in years. But after a few seconds, he realized that Ryan and Esposito weren't laughing.

Still battling the giggles, Castle retorted, "That's very sweet, guys. But the next time, I think you have to switch parts. Because Ryan doing the tough guy part…"

"Hey!" Snapped Ryan. "I'm wiry."

"He's wiry," added Esposito.

"I'm tough."  
"He's tough."

"And I have no problem putting your face into the hood of a car just to teach you some manners." Ryan took a step toward Castle, trying to make his entire 5 foot 10 frame match up to all of Castle's 6 foot 2.

At the risk of laughing again, Castle said, "Understood. Um… I'm going to get a drink now." He turned toward Esposito, "Starsky…" then Ryan, "Crutch…"

He began to stride towards the bar, shoulders rolling with laughter, as he joined the rest of the group.

Esposito slapped Ryan on the shoulder. "Break your _face_? Who says that?"

"Castle's right. Next time, you do the tough guy part. And I'll be the ground rules guy…"


	16. Chapter 16

Cole Maddox had been following Castle and Beckett since they left his apartment. Not knowing their schedule for the evening, he was content to follow them, waiting for his opportunity. They had taken a cab to some fancy diner on 9th, and then walked the city streets to a bar that was full of cops.

While hunting people in a large city had its challenges, hiding was never one of them. No one noticed an average white guy in a suit hanging out on a street corner.

While he was running out of time, Maddox wasn't about to risk having his face seen in a room full of cops. He'd continue to play the waiting game. Plus, the higher the BAC of the target, the easier it got. He'd waited a year to do this. What was another few hours?

The Old Haunt's bartender, Max, was always glad to see Castle. Even though he owned the place, Castle was an awesome tipper. With his boss starting a tab for all the cops in the bar, Max was thinking that he may be able to pay off his whole semester at NYU.

Beckett was still talking with Lanie, Jenny, and a few of the women uniforms from the precinct. Castle caught her eye enough to flash a quick smile. He knew she wasn't used to being the center of attention, but he could tell that she was flattered that so many of her friends were happy for them.

Looking past her, he saw a table of men in the corner that didn't seem to fit with the rest of the crowd. They were the only three people there who were _Castle's_ peers. He grabbed his Manhattan, and began to make his way past the surplus of cops to get to their table. Passing behind Beckett, he took just a brief moment to get a sniff of her perfume. She noticed, sticking out her neck allowing him to inhale.

When Castle finally joined, the accumulated writing talent at that one table could dominate the New York Times bestseller list any week of the year.

"I can't believe you guys came!" Castle said, beaming.

"We're really happy for you, Richard." Said one.

"But we're also concerned." Said the second.

"_Concerned_? Why are you guys concerned?"

The third man finally spoke. "Rick, you know better than anyone that great writing comes from emotional trauma, right?"

"Of course, I'm familiar with Poe, Hemmingway… Morissette."

The first man continued. "Part of what made the Heat novels awesome was-"

"You were trying to impress her." The second man finished. "You essentially wrote three hundred page love notes. To _her_."

Castle was taken aback. He couldn't _deny_ that they were right, but he didn't want to _admit_ that they were. "Oh no… believe me. I have loads of material for many more Nikki Heat novels."

Three spoke up again. "We don't doubt you've done the research. But getting it from your head to the page is always the biggest challenge."

Castle sighed. "Look. I appreciate your concern. I really do. But is not going… to be… a problem."

"OK." Said the first. "But if you need help…" He motioned to the other two. "…ask them."

All four laughed.

The three raised their glasses. "To Castle… may he continue to find inspiration in his loved muse." The second toasted.

Castle looked at all of them. "Connelly, Patterson, Lehane… Thank you." With that, they all went bottoms up.


	17. Chapter 17

Castle cut himself off after three drinks. It had been a good first date so far. He didn't want to ruin it by getting tipsy and making a spectacle of himself. He preferred to do that sober.

After spending time talking to people separately, Beckett walked up to Castle, slipping her arm inside his. He looked down into her eyes. She smiled and pulled him away from talking with Max and toward their table of closest friends. Esposito, Lanie, Ryan and Jenny welcomed the pair to their table. It was getting somewhat late, and most of the other officers had left to go home to recuperate for another day on the job.

Lanie hadn't stopped drinking since she got there. Clearly, she was the 3rd happiest person in the room. Esposito was matching her, but didn't show any effects. Ryan had never started, keeping up with Diet Coke from the fountain. He was clearly fearful of a repeat from the previous night.

The current and former members of the NYPD got bogged down into cop talk. Usually, Castle listened intently, but he got roped into a conversation with the only other non-cop at the table.

"So, Mister Castle-"

"You can call me Rick."

"Oh, of course." Jenny responded. "Are you hard at work on the next Nikki Heat novel?"

Castle knew that Ryan was an avid reader, but wasn't aware of Jenny's interest in his books. "Well, I like to think that I'm always hard... at… work…" He paused short, realizing he had made a somewhat indecent joke. He knew so many people who would laugh at it, but he wasn't sure how Jenny would react.

She didn't appear to notice. "Oh… I can't wait. I really enjoyed the part in _Naked Heat_ when the detectives find Rook in the crime scene…"

Castle was used to this. Oftentimes, fans would go into great detail about their favorite parts of his books. He began to nod automatically as Jenny began to talk without pausing.

He glanced up at the TV at the far corner, which was now showing the beginnings of the 11 o'clock news. He hadn't wanted to get a TV, keeping with the nostalgic feel of the Old Haunt. He'd put a juke box full of Sinatra on the far corner, but since so many cops that visited regularly were big Yankee fans, he'd acquiesced and allowed one 32 inch flat panel. But tonight, it wasn't Derek Jeter that caught his attention.

The news was showing the picture of a man, over the headline 'Former Cop Found Dead'. Castle stared at the picture so intently that he didn't notice that Jenny had asked him a question.

"Rick?" She said.

He took a moment to snap out of his trance, mind racing. "I'm sorry, Jenny… Hold on for a moment." Then he looked to the others at the table, pointing at the television. "Hey… That guy… the former cop… why does he seem familiar to me?"

Ryan looked up at the television to see who Castle was talking about. "Him? That's Christopher Smith. He was a retired vice detective. The other guys from the department were telling me a bit about it. Looks like a botched robbery from their investigation."

"But did we ever cross paths in the last four years? I've seen him before."

"Maybe." Beckett answered. "But didn't he work down at the 4th?"

"Yeah." Ryan said. "He retired two years ago, and he'd been working as a security consultant since."

Castle's brain was in overdrive, going through all the faces he knew and where he would have ever met Christopher Smith. He'd met thousands of people recently, from his work at the station, to promoting his books. "Humph." He couldn't remember. "Botched robbery, huh?"

"Heck of a way to go." Esposito looked down.

"Yeah." Castle said slowly.

Beckett put her hand on his to snap his attention from the television. Abruptly, he remembered he was on a date, and suddenly very eager to take Beckett back to his loft.

Beckett was able to read him easily, because she began to have the same feeling. Ever so slightly, Castle tipped his head toward the door. Even slighter, Beckett nodded, grabbing her purse. "I will be right back." She announced to the table.

"I'm going to settle… the bill!" Castle announced to them, genuinely trying to conceal the smile that was fighting its way out.

Beckett strode away from the table. Esposito got up as she passed and followed her. "Beckett… a word?" He asked.

"Sure."

He waited until they were closer to the restrooms, out of sight of the group before continuing. "I'm pretty sure that you didn't have any firepower besides your issue…" he handed her something. "So, take this."

She looked down at a Ruger SP101. It was a small revolver, small enough to fit inside her purse.

"Um…"

"Now don't give me the song and dance of how you can take care of yourself. I hope this guy is gone for good, but if he's not, I want to make sure that he's got a fight on his hands, OK?"

She looked up at him. She thought about the situation for a moment. She did have to turn in her GLOCK to Gates the previous day. She knew Castle didn't have any weapons, aside from razor wit, and that wouldn't do very well against a trained killer. "Thanks."

Javier nodded and walked back to the bar area.

Beckett looked down at the gun. While she didn't like the idea of a heavy reminder of the danger she may be in, it was good to know that she had it at her disposal. She opened her purse and slipped it inside before heading into the restroom.

Javier's concern for safety didn't end with giving the gun to Beckett. As Castle was settling up the tab with Max, he began fishing for information.

"So Castle… you want to split a cab?"

Castle didn't look up. "No… that's OK. Subway station is right around the corner. It gets us pretty close to my place."

"All right. Well, stay safe, Bro. And remember what we talked about."

Confused, Castle looked in his direction. Esposito used to fingers to point into his own eyes, and then into Castle's, repeating the gesture several times for effect. "I'm watching you."


	18. Chapter 18

Maddox was taking another pass across the street from the awning he saw the two of them go down into a few hours ago. Finally, he saw them ascending the steps. Alone.

They got to the sidewalk, and headed north, alongside the buildings. It was pretty late; they'd probably be set to retire for the evening. If Maddox had been out with a woman who looked like that, he'd want to get her back to his place as soon as possible, too. If they were going by cab, they'd have hailed one at the corner. They must be heading for the subway station. He'd checked the schedule, and saw that one train would bring them a block within his apartment. The next one left in 20 minutes.

Neither Castle nor Beckett noticed the average looking man in a suit crossing the street behind them. They were too focused on each other. She leaned into him, holding his arm. He responded by squeezing her hand. They had enjoyed their evening, but were both anticipating what was next.

Maddox was careful to not follow too close. It was something he was well trained at. Once the pair began to descend the stairs to the subway, he increased his pace. He'd planned on continuing to follow them all the way back to the apartment. But if he had a chance before that, he'd need to take it. Ideally, he'd get her alone. But if he had to take the opportunity with him there, it would get done.

The sound of Beckett's heels echoed through the subway station. As much as she tried to will the train to arrive, it would only adhere to its set schedule. She walked all the way to the edge of the platform, looking down the tunnel.

"Anxious for the train?" Castle asked.

"No." Beckett replied. "But I am curious to know if you chose the subway for the innuendo."

Castle smiled. He got out his phone to see if anyone had called or texted during their time at the Old Haunt. He opened a text from Alexis and laughed.

"What?"

"It's just… Seems like just yesterday when Alexis was learning how to swim. Now she's-"

Castle looked up at Beckett. She wasn't listening, not even looking at him. Her face looked completely drained of emotion, whiter than he'd ever seen it. Compared to all the situations they'd encountered together, this was a first. Without looking down, Castle dialed a number with his phone as discretely as possible, slipping it into his shirt pocket.

He turned around to face a muscular man in a suit. In his right hand, he held what Castle recognized as a SIG-Sauer pistol. A silencer was fastened to the end. His smile was way too relieved for Castle's taste.

"You're a hard woman to track down." The man said to Beckett.

She couldn't respond, as her mouth had instantly gone dry.

"You pissed off somebody pretty bad. Should have left well enough alone." He began to raise the gun to fire.

Instinctively, Castle raised his hands and stood between Beckett and the man. He couldn't believe he was doing it. His mind began racing. He thought of his mother. He thought of Alexis. Thinking of her growing up without him was incredibly painful, but he wasn't about to lose Beckett again.

To Castle's surprise, the man hesitated. Beckett took the opportunity to get out the gun Esposito had given her and stood close behind Castle. The audible cocking of the hammer let the intruder know she was ready to defend herself. Unfortunately, there weren't any pillars close to them for cover, and the man hadn't shot yet, so they took their chances where they were.

The man took a step forward, looking a shade frustrated. He should have shot when he had the chance, now he didn't have it.

As his life flashed before his eyes, Castle remembered where he'd seen the face of the dead former cop from the news. It was attached to a shadowy figure Castle met in a parking garage a few months previous.

"You killed Christopher Smith!" he exclaimed. Smith had given Castle a key bit of information that helped him and Beckett solve a crime involving the Mayor. Forces had assembled to perpetrate a crime that would put a cloud of suspicion over the city's leader. It was Castle's friendship with Mayor Robert Wheldon that allowed him the access to Beckett. If the Mayor had been forced to resign, Captain Gates would have had no problem showing Castle the door.

Castle was now kicking himself for not recognizing the face on the news. _Come on, Castle_, he thought to himself. _Mr. Smith? How much more obvious could it have been?_ Now he feared that being so focused on their date earlier would turn into a grave mistake.

Smith had advised Castle that sometimes, a well placed pawn was worth more than a king. While Castle may have been just a pawn, it was his job to protect Beckett from those behind the vast conspiracy involving her mother's murder.

The man didn't respond.

"You were the one who hired Orlando Costa. And killed him when he botched the robbery at Montgomery's house."

"Seems like you've written this story." The man said. "How does it end?"

Castle swallowed hard. He knew the answer. And it wasn't good.

"I'm guessing that you were looking for the evidence that Montgomery had that was keeping your employers from coming after Beckett harder." The gears of his mind kept turning. "And it was probably you at the other end of that sniper rifle a year ago." It was all falling into place for Castle. Maddox had shot Beckett at Montgomery's funeral a year ago. He needed to not only silence her, but find the evidence that her former Captain was keeping.

"Where is the file?" Maddox asked.

"We don't have any file!" Castle shouted.

Beckett finally snapped into survival mode. "I know why you're here. I've got a message for whoever hired you. If I had this file, I would give it to you right now. But I don't have it… and I'm going to stop the investigation."

"You had the chance."

Castle became somewhat tired of the situation. "If you're here to do this job, why aren't you doing it?"

The man began to side walk to his left to get a clear shot at Beckett. Castle moved with him, keeping his body between the man and Beckett. Frustrated, the man went back the other way. Castle went right with him, preventing him from getting a clear shot.

_This is taking too long_, Maddox thought. If he moved Castle out of the way, Beckett would have a clear shot at him. If he waited, someone might show up. The only option was…

"Why isn't he shooting?" Beckett whispered.

"He can't." Castle realized. Standing up taller, he said "He can't shoot me to get to you."

The man stiffened in irritation, knowing that Castle now understood why this job was so difficult. That was the third order.

"If he had the OK to kill me to stop you, he'd have done it by now. But he can't."

None of this made any sense to Beckett.

Castle wasn't thinking about why the killer hadn't taken him down already. But if his standing there, arms up, was keeping Beckett alive, that's what he would do.

Maddox appeared to be coming to a decision on what to do. "If I don't finish this now…" He began, "… I'll be back."

"No you won't." Another voice said. Behind Maddox, two figures descended the stairs. Esposito, carrying a firearm, probably from his collection at home, came down and began flanking Maddox to the right. Ryan mirrored his partner, going around the left.

Maddox laughed once, realizing his impossible position.

"Put your weapon on the ground and get on your knees now." Ryan, the only active member of the police department said in a stern voice.

Maddox looked at him. Without saying a word, he raised his hands. Slowly, he bent over, placing his SIG-Sauer on the floor in front of him.

Castle and Beckett breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief.

From his bent position, Maddox placed his right knee on the floor. Then his left. Finally, slowly, he put his hands behind his head.

Keeping one hand on his GLOCK, Ryan tossed a pair of handcuffs to Esposito, who tucked his weapon into his belt loop and slapped the cuffs onto the hired gun.

Castle fished his phone out of his shirt pocket and ended the call he had dialed. "Thanks for picking up." He told Esposito.

Esposito nodded. "Thanks for having easily understood travel plans. But come on, man. Next time, spring for a cab."

It was only at that point that Beckett felt safe enough to step out from behind Castle. Maddox looked up at her, his cold eyes staring her down.

She stared right back.

Esposito lifted Maddox to his feet. It wasn't the first time he'd had his hands cuffed behind his back. Ryan was already calling dispatch to get a squad to take Maddox to the precinct.

Without blinking, Beckett took a step forward; to meet her would be killer's gaze. Esposito stepped closer to him, just to make sure that he didn't try anything with her that close.

"I know you can get in contact with whoever hired you. Even behind bars." She started. It was true, the last hired gun not only got orders to kill a witness in Joanna Beckett's murder while he was in lockup, and he was also privy to an elaborate break out plan. "So I want you to pass along a message."

Maddox didn't say anything; he just looked into her eyes.

"I'm done." She said with relief. "Looking into this case has brought me nothing but pain…" She fought her sadness with anger as she composed herself. She wasn't about to cry in front of this man. "… I'm not on the force anymore. I'm done." She took a moment to compose herself. "You said I've had my chance. But these back door deals… were never with me. Only with people around me. This is from me. I'm done."

Maddox looked at her a beat longer. She knew he understood. Ryan walked over to him, as Esposito turned him around toward the stairs. "Cole Maddox. You are under arrest for the murder of Orlando Costa…" Ryan began.

"And Christopher Smith." Added Castle.

Ryan looked up. Castle wouldn't be cracking jokes at this point. He must know something.

Looking back toward Maddox, Ryan continued. "And the murder of Christopher Smith. And for the attempted murder of Kate Beckett. You have the right to remain silent…"

The two walked him up the steps as Ryan continued with the Miranda. Beckett stood there. Frozen.

Castle took a cautious step forward. He knew she was processing everything on her own. "Kate?" He said, putting his hand on her bare shoulder.

To his surprise, she didn't jump. She just turned to him, with a look that was even more filled with relief than anything.

She stepped forward, pulling him to her. There they stood, just enjoying the fact that they still had each other.


	19. Chapter 19

The Old Haunt was now mostly void of customers. Max was quickly putting all the dishes back, getting ready for the next day. Esposito and Ryan were taking, going over the details that would go in Ryan's eventual report to Captain Gates. Castle leaned against the bar, his arm around Beckett. She still hadn't said a word since Maddox was taken away. A pair of uniforms stood by the entry.

Suddenly, the door burst open to reveal Gates. She didn't look happy to have been woken up around midnight to go back to the city. But with two of her precinct's suspended detectives and a possible contract killer involved, she felt it necessary.

Esposito, Ryan, and Castle stood up a bit straighter, more out of force of habit. Beckett remained looking at the floor, hugging Castle.

Gates strode up to Ryan. "Detective? What do we have?"

"Well, Sir, the man we have a man in custody under the name 'Cole Maddox'. We believe that enough evidence will link him to the attempted murder of Detective Beckett a year ago-"

"She's not a Detective anymore." Gates retorted.

Ryan didn't miss a beat. "She was back then, Sir." He took a moment to look back at his notebook. "We also suspect he's responsible for the murder of Orlando Costa, and there is a strong indication he may have also murdered former NYPD detective Christopher Smith."

Gates looked at him sternly. "Do you have evidence linking him to these crimes?"

"I'll find it." Ryan responded confidently.

Captain nodded to Detective, before asking, "How was he apprehended?"

"Well, sir, Maddox had Castle and Beckett cornered in the subway station a block north of here. Before Maddox could shoot, Castle called Esposito…" He nodded to his partner, "and we rushed over brought him down. I couldn't have done it without help."

"Where is the suspect now?"

"Unis are bringing him to lockup."

Gates switched her gaze from Ryan to Esposito and back. "Detective Ryan," She began. "I need a full and detailed report on my desk by 10 hundred hours."

"Yes sir." That was going to take some time to do all by himself.

She looked at Esposito. "You'd better help him. I want this done fast." She placed something in his hand. It was his shield.

Javier looked down at it for a while, thankful to have it back. Ryan smiled at him. Esposito raised his head to catch Ryan's eye. "What are you standing still for? Grinning like that? We got work to do."

"No problem, partner." Ryan smiled, as he grabbed Esposito by the shoulder.

Both turned to face Castle and Beckett, who were only vaguely aware of what was happening.

"Do you two need us for anything?" Esposito asked them.

Castle looked up. He saw Esposito holding his badge again. He understood how important a badge is to a cop. He was happy for his friend. "We're good, guys. Thanks."

The pair nodded and strode to the door for a night of report filing.

Gates walked slowly up to them, only making eye contact with Castle. "Heck of a night for the two of you, huh?"

Castle nodded. "It's our first date."

Gates didn't seem to be impressed. She looked at Beckett, even if Beckett wasn't returning the look. "I've put Detective Esposito back on the force. Loyalty is a trait that I admire in police work. I understand he did what he did out of loyalty to you. Part of me respects that. But a larger part of me still doesn't understand why you dragged him into this."

If Beckett was listening, she wasn't letting on.

"If you ever want your badge back, you have to demonstrate to me that you are a Detective that I can trust."

Castle thought it strange that Gates was giving Beckett a small opening for a return. But even he had no idea whether or not Beckett even wanted to go back.

"I will leave a squad outside to take you home when you're ready."

Castle smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

"Mister Castle… Miss Beckett. Good night." Gates finished before turning around and heading out the door, followed by the two uniforms.

After waiting a moment, Castle said to Max, "Why don't you head on home? I'll close up."

"Not a problem, Mister Castle." Max replied before retrieving his coat from behind the bar. He exited, locking the door behind him. _I should give Max a raise_, Castle thought.

He thought Beckett may say something once everyone had left, but he was wrong. She hadn't moved at all.

"Kate?" He said, hoping to garner any type of response. "Can you say… something to let me know you're OK in there?"

She inhaled deeply, before starting. "I'm OK, Castle." She turned so she was standing right in front of him, staring intensely into his eyes. "But I need you to do something for me."

"Anything." He said, eager to make sure she was safe… and happy.

She took a deep breath as she put both her palms on his chest. "Letting go of this case is going to be the hardest thing I've ever done. It's been with me for so long, it's helped shape me, and it's unsolved. Those three forces are working together to try and drag me back into it. And right now, I'm not listening to them."

Castle nodded. If there was anyone who understood how important Johanna Beckett's murder case was to Kate, it was him.

"But I know…" She began, allowing the emotion to get to her, "That there will be a day, when it will beat down my willpower. When it calls me back to solve it. When it uses my Mom's voice to talk me into opening it up again. When that happens, I will come at you with everything I've got… to get you to let me go after it."

"What do you need me to do?" Castle asked.

"I…" She grabbed the lapels of his suit coat, "I need you to stop me. Do whatever you need to do to keep me away from it. I don't care what. Tell your jokes. Lock me in a closet. Do your kissing." As she looked at him, the tears streamed down her face. She didn't bother wiping them away. She wasn't afraid to look this way in front of him. "But I've let this case dominate my future for far too long. It has taken away too many of my tomorrows, never giving me a choice. But from now on, I choose… that all my tomorrows belong to you."

Castle and Beckett looked at each other for a moment. Not knowing what to say, he bent down to kiss her. It was a kiss that was filled with as much emotion as their first kiss the previous night.

His mind was racing. That request was easy to say yes to in that moment, but when the time came, he wasn't sure even he could control the strong willed Beckett.

He pulled away from her, looking her square in the eyes. "I've got an idea." With that, he walked away from her, to the corner where The Old Haunt's jukebox hung on the wall. He put in the necessary change, and punched a few numbers. He waited for the music to start before turning around.

Violins teamed with trumpets to play a slow melody before Frank Sinatra began singing.

"What are you doing?" Beckett asked as Castle extended his hand.

"Well, if this is our first date, we'd better have at least one dance." He smiled.

_**Today I may not have a thing at all,**_

_**Except for just a dream or two,**_

A laugh managed to escape between her sobs, as she walked over to take his hand.

_**But I've got lots of plans for tomorrow,**_

_**And all my tomorrows belong to you.**_

He held her right hand in his left, as he placed around her waist, resting on the small of her back. She curled her left arm around his neck and leaned into him.

"I know how much this case has meant to you." He began.

_**Right now it may not seem like spring at all,**_

_**We're drifting and the laughs are few,**_

"So, when that time comes, I don't think I'll make a joke. I definitely won't lock you in a closet. I can't make any guarantees about no kissing."

She laughed.

_**But I've got rainbows planned for tomorrow,**_

_**And all my tomorrows belong to you. **_

"So what I'll do," He continued, "Is… I will play this song. And I will ask you to remember this moment. Where it was just us. Dancing. No murder cases. No badges or guns. No books or writing."

She closed her eyes just so she could make a mental note. Castle was right. In a city that could provide you with a moment to remember forever at almost any time, this was a pretty memorable one.

"Well..." she said, "Maybe lead with jokes, move on to this, and then finish with the kissing."

He kissed the top of her head, than laid his cheek on the same spot. "Promise."


	20. Chapter 20

Not only did the uniforms drive Castle and Beckett back to his loft, but Gates also ordered them to remain outside the building. Just in case.

Castle maintained some type of physical contact with Beckett the entire time. She was wrapped up in his suit coat, protecting her from the chill that had permeated New York City. They didn't say anything on the ride in the cruiser, content to just look out the window at the lights of the city go by at 40 miles per hour.

He helped her out of the car, thanked the uniforms, and led her inside. She remained in somewhat of a daze, arms folded in front of her to keep the jacket closed and the cold out. He was trying his best to get a gauge on her mood. She wasn't sad. But she didn't seem entirely happy either. She wasn't scared, but she wasn't acting brave. She was just… walking.

He hit the up button on the elevator, which opened immediately. She walked in first and punched the elevator button to his floor. Finally doing something herself, not being led by him, was a good sign. They stood in the elevator, waiting. Both stared straight forward, not saying anything.

When the proper chime rung, the doors parted and Castle held out his hand, guiding Beckett out into the hallway. He followed her out, placing his hand on the small of her back.

He got out his keys when they finally got to his door. Opening it, he went in first and switched on the lights. She followed him inside, turning them back off.

Without artificial light, Castle's loft was bathed in moonlight. The shadows created strange patterns on the walls and floor.

Startled, Castle turned around. For the first time since their dance at The Old Haunt, she was looking him square in the eye. With the amount of drama that she'd gone through tonight, he was prepared for pretty much anything. Whatever she needed, he'd oblige.

She began walking toward him.

"Kate… I…"

Without saying a word, she reached up and kissed him. As she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, his suit coat fell off her shoulders and to the ground.

This sent Castle's mind spinning again. While he wasn't too interested in stopping, a tiny part of him thought he may be taking advantage of an emotionally fragile woman who had just dealt with significant emotional trauma.

But then he remembered that he, too, had been a victim tonight. He'd stared down the barrel of guns before, but tonight was different. He had been more concerned for Beckett's life than his own. That was a first. Plus, he'd be hard pressed to find anyone emotionally stronger than her, so if it was her taking advantage of him, it was something he was completely OK with.

The previous night, when she had showed up at his door, confessing that she reciprocated the love that he had confessed earlier, their kissing had much urgency. It had been a night that broke the levy keeping them apart. He had thrown her against his door, each seemingly trying to undress faster than the other. There was a sense of need, as they allowed the passion that had built up between them for 4 years to be unleashed in one night.

But tonight was different. Slower. More relaxed and fimillar.

Still not saying anything, she took his hand, and led him back to his bedroom.


	21. Chapter 21

She was the one who woke up early the next day. She had gotten ready quickly, thrown on a pair of jeans, wore a white blouse underneath her leather jacket, and put her hair back in a ponytail. She hadn't planned on putting on her boots until after she was in the elevator. She was trying to move as stealthily as possible, but she wasn't quiet enough.

"Well, I've never been in this position before." Castle said from the doorway of his office. He had just gotten out of bed. Flannel pants, grey t shirt, both underneath his monogrammed robe.

Beckett jumped when she heard his voice. "Oh… God… Castle."

"I'm usually the one sneaking out in the morning. But honestly I can't remember the last time that happened"

"You scared me to death."

He smiled. "Would I get arrested for that?" He asked.

"Only if it was intentional." She smiled back.

He nodded approvingly at her. For a moment, he was lost just enjoying seeing her happy. But then, he realized that she was getting ready to leave.

"Are you leaving?" He asked, with a twinge of panic.

She cocked her head at him in confusion. "I'm just making a run to my place to tidy up some things… get some more clothes-"

"Well, wait a minute. I'll get dressed and go with you…"

"No, it's alright."

Castle was confused. "Do you… _not_ want me to go with?"

She walked up to him and sighed. "Look, Castle. Up until two nights ago, I didn't have anyone that I could share my problems with. Someone whose only concern was for my well being."

He looked at her. She may not have realized it, but she had someone long before that.

"I… just… I'm used to having time to myself to think about things. And as much as I know you want to help me work through this, I need sometime for myself."

Now, Castle was beginning to panic more. _How much time to herself did she need? A week? A Month? A Year? _"When will you be back?" he asked, feeling like a kid saying goodbye to his best friend.

She looked at him with puzzlement. "Um… lunch?" She said.

Castle was so relieved that he burst into laughter. Her bewilderment remained. "When you said you needed time to yourself, I thought… nevermind." He finished.

"Well, yeah…" She began. "Alexis and your mom were coming back this afternoon. I thought I'd be here to help welcome them back."

He was just so happy that he was the one whom she trusted enough to help her through. None of her other boyfriends. Him. But having been raised primarily by a nanny, without any father figure, Castle understood how solitude can oftentimes help someone through difficult times.

But then his mind drifted to her being alone. She'd survived three attempted killings in just over a year. He feared that a fourth attempt could occur at any time. "Do you think it's safe? Even with Maddox in lockup…"

"Don't worry. I'm good." The comfort that the revolver Esposito had lent her gave her more than enough courage to venture out on her own for a morning.

"OK." Castle responded. But I want you to call or text every 20 minutes… no, 15… no, 10… just so I know…"

"I'll let you know, don't worry."

He stepped forward to her, reaching for her head. He cradled it as he kissed her. "Be safe."

"I will." She kissed him one more time for good measure as he turned to go back into his office. He sat down at his desk, content to check up on emails and do some frame working for his next Nikki Heat book.

She walked over to the kitchen counter, to retrieve her cell phone, which was ringing.

The number showed up as unknown, but she answered it anyway.

"Hello?" She began.

There was a short pause before a heavily computerized voice spoke. "We received your message."

The voice sent chills down her spine. She realized who she was talking to. Someone involved with the conspiracy that enveloped her mother's murder. Who knows, maybe this is even the person who ordered it. She made sure Castle was busy at his computer, and far enough away that he wouldn't hear what she was saying.

"And?" She said to the voice.

"Detective Beckett, your survival up to this point has been largely thanks to the involvement of Mr. Castle."

_So Castle was right_, Beckett thought. Maddox had orders to kill her, but not harm him. Why?

"But rest assured. If you continue to peruse us… _his_ safety cannot be guaranteed."

She looked over her shoulder, through the door at Castle. He was engrossed in something, didn't look up to see her look of horror.

"It is my understanding the previous agreements have been through a third party."

"Yes." She said, turning her head back around so Castle couldn't see her face.

"A third party that is no longer available to negotiate."

He must be talking about Christopher Smith.

"This will be the final time this deal is made. An exception is being made because for the first time, it's being made with you."

Beckett swallowed hard. "So… we have an agreement?" She grabbed her mother's ring in her free hand for support.

"Yes. However, if you attempt to trace this call, if you investigate Maddox further, if you attempt to locate the file, it will constitute a violation of our agreement."

Beckett's legs felt like jelly. A gentle breeze could have knocked her over at that moment.

"Do you understand?" The voice said.

Inhaling deeply, she sent a quick prayer to her mother through her thoughts. _I'm sorry I couldn't finish this, Mom. But I can't keep this up. I'm scared for my safety… and now the safety of the man I love._

"I understand." She managed to get out.

Click. Silence.

She pulled the phone away from her ear and examined it for a moment. She may get chills every time it rings from now on. It was a small price to pay for such an important call. Unfortunately, she'd dragged Castle into this more than anyone, as his safety could be in jeopardy now. But now she was in a position to control her own fate. And as hard as it was letting go of her mom and the past, she was equally excited for more time with Castle in the future.

Castle looked up from his computer. "You're still here?"

Beckett composed herself more quickly than she ever had before. "Yeah… just…" She held up her phone, "answering a call."

He smiled, oblivious to the emotions she was dealing with in that moment. "OK. Well, remember text often. If you're lucky, I may send you some saucy pictures back. So there's your motivation."

She smiled. Before the last few days, she would have come back at him with another clever line, just to shoot him down. Now she was glad that he was serious.

"I'll see you in a few hours." She called back, before grabbing her boots and walking out the door.

The previous day had seemed to be an entirely new world to her. But yet again, the city had an entirely new energy. She was finally with Castle. Her detective brothers were friends again, both back with the department, and the forces hiding in the shadows had seemed to be called off, for the time being.

Just a few minutes ago, she had wanted to take as long as possible to go to her apartment. She had wanted to enjoy time to herself. But now, she couldn't wait to get back to Castle's loft.


	22. Chapter 22

For a few months, the envelope had spent most of its nights in the outgoing mail box of the most non-descript person in a non-descript office. Yet, every morning, Christopher Smith arrived and removed the envelope from the outgoing mail box and into a drawer in his desk. At some point during the day, the outgoing mail box was emptied by the mailman. But before he left in the evening, Smith placed the envelope back in the outgoing mail.

Yet, two days ago, he hadn't returned to his office. He wasn't there to prevent the envelope from going out with all the other letters. The envelope was picked up by a non-descript letter carrier, taken to a mail truck, then to the sorting facility, before getting redirected to somewhere in Manhattan.

The last time Rick Castle was alone in his apartment, he'd been just about as depressed as he had ever been. He thought that he'd never see Beckett again, and was still mad at her for choosing her mother's case over him. But this morning, he couldn't have been happier.

He spent some time at his computer. Checked emails. Looked at the news of the day. Searched for the 'chimpanzee riding on a segway' video. _God bless the internet_. He thought.

Striding to his kitchen, humming the music from the chimp video, he prepared some peanut butter toast and coffee.

After finishing his toast, Castle grabbed his mug and went to the lobby to check his mail. He chatted with the doorman, who always talked about the Yankees. Castle wasn't too interested in sports, but he enjoyed listening to people who talked passionately about something they loved.

With one hand holding the mug, the other full of mail, he made his way back up to his loft. Stepping inside his office, he threw the mail on top of his laptop. He paused when he heard an audible 'clank' as the mail hit.

Curious, he examined the mail closer. There was one envelope that seemed to contain something hard. There was no return address, but it had a New York City post marking. He used his letter opener to rip open the top. In removing a piece of paper from the envelope, a metal key fell out in front of him.

Castle looked at it, confused and terrified. Sometimes, people sent him strange things. But with the events of the past day, he couldn't be certain that this wasn't part of it. He picked up the key. He recognized it immediately as a safe deposit box key. But to what bank, he didn't know. What it contained, he didn't know. It was engraved with the number 2517.

Cautiously, he opened up the piece of paper. The toast he had eaten just 10 minutes previously now felt like a cannonball in his gut. He read the letter:

_Mr. Castle: You're more than a pawn now._

It was from Smith. This is why he was killed. Whatever was inside the safety deposit box that this key protected was the same thing that had kept Beckett safe the last few years.

He knew he had to protect this key. He immediately shredded the envelope and letter, brainstorming where to keep the key. He knew average places to hide things. Over the years, he'd learned unique places to hide things. But those working against him would have those ideas too.

In a moment of inspiration, Castle walked swiftly to his kitchen. Rummaging through the recycling, he dug out an old, single serving milk container. It wasn't opaque, so it would easily conceal anything that was hidden inside. He filled the bottle with water, dropped the key in, and wedged it between the ice tray and the back of the freezer.

This was for two reasons. If someone did come to his apartment looking for the key, they'd be in for a long search. This was a very good hiding spot. From the average observer's perspective, it looked like an ice pack you'd drop in a cooler to keep sandwiches cold. Plus, they'd have to know it was in the bottle. They couldn't wait around for the ice to melt before checking it.

The second reason it was smart was that if Beckett ever had the urge to go digging into the case again, they'd have to wait to get to the key. Maybe that would give him enough time to play the song, do the jokes and kissing to get her distracted away from it.

He decided not to tell Beckett about the key. He understood it may constitute a breach of her trust, but if she wanted him to discourage her from pursuing the case, it would be best not to even tempt her with the key. That key would plant a seed in her mind that he knew would grow into a fully grown oak in a matter of time. An oak that would be hard for him to chop down.

Castle took a moment to just stare at his freezer door. _That was that_, he thought.

But he hadn't anticipated a seed being planted in his _own_ mind.

Beckett hadn't been gone long. He didn't know when she'd be back. But he knew that he needed every second to erase any evidence of the mystery in his demeanor. She was able to read him easier than anyone. If he had a secret, she'd know instantly.


	23. Chapter 23

The man the police knew as Cole Maddox stared straight ahead, into the wall of his cell. He had been transferred from the police department to the county lockup. He was pretty sure what would happen next. Investigations, trials, attention. It was something his employer couldn't afford.

He knew he had failed.

In some cultures, when men failed as entirely as he had, they would throw themselves on their swords. He didn't have a sword. But he did have a section of rope that had been smuggled in for him by a crooked guard. He knew he couldn't leave the cell alive. And the guards would be on rounds soon. He had to work quickly.

"Why are you nervous?" Castle asked Beckett as she grabbed the ends of her sleeves with her hands. "You've met them before… and they love you."

"I know, but this is different."

It was about 6 in the evening. Castle's mother, Martha, was on her way back from the Hamptons. She picked up his daughter, Alexis on the way, just to give her son a few extra hours alone with Beckett. But the Doorman had just called and advised that the two had just arrived.

"I know this is new and different." Castle began. "But they put on brave faces and smile even when I bring home someone they don't like."  
"I don't know if that makes me feel any better, Castle."

He took her by the shoulders to look her square in the eye. "Hey. You're Kate Beckett. You've hunted down notorious murderers, busted down doors and kicked some pretty serious butt. You can handle an aging Broadway star and a future Surgeon General of the United States."

She looked at him. "I love you, Rick."

He smiled back at her. "I love you too, Kate."

At that, the door opened to reveal Martha Rodgers, Castle's mother. She wheeled in her small suitcase as Castle went over to help her. "Richard, be a dear and help me with this?"

"Hello to you too, mother." Castle said, feigning shock that she didn't at least say hi first. "How were the Hamptons?"

"Oh, you know, same as always. Slow. Boring. Much like most of the men there." She said as she hugged her son.

Alexis followed Martha, also dragging a suitcase. She stopped to hug her dad as Martha trained her gaze on Beckett.

"So. _You're_ the new woman whose been distracting my son for the past few days, huh?" While Martha was a talented actress, she couldn't hide her pleasure with faux sass.

"Hi, Martha." Beckett strode over to offer a hug.

Martha accepted. "Hello, darling. So good to see you again." She said warmly. Following the hug, she eyed Beckett up and down. "May I say that you look absolutely radiant."

Beckett looked down at herself. "Oh. Well, I didn't think I got that dressed up…"

"It's not so much in what you're wearing…" Martha interrupted, "as much as… this." She said, pointing to Beckett's smile.

Beckett blushed. "Thanks."

Martha started to walk away, before turning back to tell Kate one last thing. "Oh, and don't worry too much about me. I've made many plans to make myself scarce for a few weeks. Between acting classes, and parties, and…"

"You don't have to do that for me, Martha."

Martha stopped short. "I'm not. I'm doing it for the two of you. And don't worry. It's no trouble." With that she snapped her fingers at her son. "Richard… can you help bring our things upstairs?"

Castle had been hugging his daughter, sharing a few things during Martha's conversation with Beckett. "Sure, mom." With that, he grabbed both suitcases and headed toward the stairs.

He didn't see the look Martha gave Alexis as he began to ascend. _You're on, kid_, was the nonverbal look Grandmother gave Granddaughter. But mother and son went up, her chatting his ear off about some friend they both knew.

Timidly, Alexis walked over to Beckett.

"Hi, Alexis… I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your ceremony…"

"Don't worry about that, Detective Beck-"

"You can call me Kate."

Alexis blushed. This was new for her, too. "Look… for the longest time, it's been me, Grandma, and Dad."

Beckett swallowed hard.

"I mean, he's been in relationships before, and a part of me has always kind of resented the woman he was going out with."  
"Alexis, I-"

"Please, let me finish." Alexis interrupted. She'd never had this conversation before. She inhaled and looked Beckett in the eye. "What I'm trying to say is… It's been hard for me to share my Dad with anyone."

Beckett looked at the floor. This wasn't going well.

"But…" Alexis said, smiling, "I'll share him with you."

Beckett looked up at her, confused and relieved.

"Because he's never met anyone who makes him as happy as you do."

Alexis moved in to hug Beckett, who accepted it with a combination of shock and comfort.

"Plus, with me away at college, he needs someone to look after him."

Beckett laughed.

"You know, feed him a few times a day, and make sure he gets outside for some exercise."

While Castle wasn't a toy to be bargained for, Beckett was still very glad that Alexis was OK with their relationship. Part of what she liked about him was how dutifully he took on his role as a father. She didn't want to be a monkey wrench in that.

Castle and Martha were on their way back down the stairs. "OK…" Castle said in his attention grabbing voice. "I want to hear all about the past few days… but first we have a critical decision to make. One that will impact our very lives from this day forward."  
The three women looked at him in confusion.

He stopped and threw his arms to the side. "What should we do for dinner?"

They all looked relieved. No actual big decisions were being made.

Martha piped up. "Whatever we do, we should do quickly. I've got an acting class to lead at 8."

In unison, Alexis and Kate chimed in. "How about pizza?" Both looked at the other, amazed that they were on the same wavelength.

Castle looked at the two of them, equally surprised. "Well, I'm not going to argue with that kind of cohesion. Hey before I make the call, can I get anyone anything to drink?"

Alexis requested a Diet Coke, but the others just asked for ice water. "Why don't the three of you sit down, and I will bring some out?"

Martha took the chair, forcing Beckett and Alexis to sit next to each other on the sofa. Beckett asked her about her graduation, about her speech, and how it felt to be out of high school, now fully preparing for college at Columbia. Alexis responded quite easily. Castle was thankful that their conversation was so relaxed… so familiar. Truthfully, he hadn't cared whether or not Alexis liked any of his former flames. He hadn't planned on being with them for very long. But with Beckett, it was different.

His happy thoughts quickly vanished as he opened the freezer to get some ice. There, hiding behind the ice tray, cowering in the corner of the unit was the small milk container he had placed in there earlier.

And the seed grew.

**The End**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE**_

I do not own any of the characters featured in this story. They were created by people far more talented than me. This is simply my idea as to what may happen next on _Castle_.

Thanks to all of you for reading my story! It was a lot of fun to write, and yes, my wife seemed to enjoy it as well. My intention was to wrap up the Maddox storyline, but kick the can of the Johanna Beckett investigation down the line. I've got my own theories on what's going on, and I'm sure it's something they'll continue to revisit during the rest of the show's run. But now, my wife is pressing me to get Beckett back on the force and return the Castleverse to normal. I've already started a follow up to this story, tentatively; I've named it _Only Happy When It Rains_. Look for it very soon. I did place a few hidden references in this story… did you catch them all?

1) Castle and Beckett ran into Monica and Chandler from _Friends_ on their walk back from Central Park.

2) Esposito mentions a friend in Miami, a former Special Forces guy who freelances. This is a reference to Sam Axe from _Burn Notice_.

3) The writer friend who named a character 'Myron' is reference to author Harlan Coben, who writes a series featuring crime solving sports agent Myron Bolitar. They're really fun books. I highly recommend them.

4) Castle admits to losing a poker hand to Janet Evanovich, admitting he'd name a daughter after her, saying she's 'Great with numbers'. Janet Evanovich writes a series of romantic adventures with Stephanie Plumb as the hero, and each book has a number in the title (she's up to number 18). My wife enjoys them.

5) The Diner is an actual restaurant in Manhattan. Someday, maybe I'd like to go there. It looks really nice.

6) At one point, Castle is envisioning himself as a Green Lantern-esque superhero. Nathan Fillion has voiced the Green Lantern for several animated adventures.

7) The key Castle gets has the number 2517. This is the year that _Firefly_ takes place in.


End file.
